Helen Coburn Meier and Tim Meier today released the names of their 15th Arts Achievement Awards. Their Foundation recognizes Chicago-based artists in mid-career who push the artistic envelope.
This year, the Foundation is giving out a record six awards to Chicago area artists in many genres, a total of $240,000 in awards. The 2020 awardees are poet/painter Krista Franklin, singer/composer Terisa Griffin, multi-media artist Candace Hunter, dancer/choreographer Corinne Imberski, dancer/choreographer Ayesha Jaco, and painter Angel Pagan.
Krista Franklin is a writer and visual artist, the author Too Much Midnight (Haymarket Books, 2020), the artist book Under the Knife (Candor Arts, 2018), and the chapbook Study of Love & Black Body (Willow Books, 2012). She is a recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Grant and has been published in Poetry. Helen says, “Krista is a beautiful American woman and explorer who self-creates and re-creates herself.” For more information, see https://www.kristafranklin.com
Terisa Griffin – Soulful singer/composer Terisa Griffin has produced and starred in her “One Voice, One Woman” concert series, and has produced four successful independent albums, which includes her latest “The Soul Revival.” She also won the Chicago Music Award for Solo Independent Artist of the Year. Terisa’s charity, Better Love Yourself, helps young adults master the art of loving and caring for themselves while succeeding at college. Helen says, “Her realness embraces us so solidly. She is real Chicago, whether singing her works or classics.” For more information, see www.terisagriffin.com
Candace Hunter creates collage, paintings, installations and performance art to tell stories. Through the use of appropriated materials from magazines, vintage maps, cloth, various re-used materials, she offers this new landscape of materials back to the viewer with a glimpse of history and admiration of the beautiful. Tim observes, “Candace tells an exciting story of someone who can’t stay away from art, visualizing the loss to Africa in the same instant celebrating America’s needs in beauty and social justice.” For more information, see http://www.chleeart.com/
Corinne Imberski is a Chicago based dance performer, choreographer, improviser, and educator. As an independent dance artist, Corinne has presented solo and ensemble works for over thirty years, at venues grand, small, and impromptu. She has staged her choreography throughout the country. Helen observes the Corinne creates “clean, focused post-modern dance, so well thought out.” For more information, see https://www.corinneimberski.com/
Ayesha Jaco is a Chicago based philanthropist, educator and choreographer. Ayesha is the founder and Artistic Director of Move Me Soul, an internationally traveled youth dance company headquartered on Chicago’s West Side. Ayesha’s disciplinary focus is a fusion of contemporary modern, jazz, West African and hiphop dance. Helen is “grateful that Ayesha makes a pathway via dance to form bonds, create something wonderful, and show students how they fit into America.” For more information, see www.movemesoul.org.
Angel Pagan began his career as an urban and graffiti artist. After attending the American Academy of Art in Chicago, he expanded to public murals and fine art, Tim says, “Angel has much to say as he has bridged street art to fine art – a brave transition. Bravo!” Angel self-represents his work. For more information, see http://romewon.com
About the Meier Achievement Award
The 2020 Meier Achievement Award recognizes past work of mid-career arts professionals with checks for $40,000. Since its inception, the Foundation has presented 50 Chicago-area artists with awards. There are no applications, no project to submit, and no outcome measurements. This follows Tim Meier’s directive, “No strings.” For more information, see www.meierfoundation.org.
Past Recipients:
Jim Lasko, founding Artistic Director, Redmoon Theatre
James Bohnen, cofounder & former Artistic Director, Remy Bumppo Theatre
Meade Palidofsky, founder & Artistic Director, StoryCatchers Theatre
Patti McKenny, poet, librettist/lyricist, Founder, Chicago Music Theatre Works
John Eskola, tenor, cabaret artist
Mark Messing, composer, founder of Mucca Pazzo gypsy marching band
PJ Powers, founder & Artistic Director, TimeLine Theatre
Michael Patrick Thornton, founder & Artistic Director, Gift Theater
Homer Hans Bryant, Director, Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center
Elizabeth Doyle, composer, cabaret artist
Hallie Gordon, director, Steppenwolf Theatre for Young Adults
James Ginsburg, classical musical producer, Cedille Records
Terry Karpowicz, sculptor
Miroslaw Rogala, multi-media artist
Molly Shanahan, choreographer, Mad Shak company
Wesley Kimler, painter
Jeff Kowalkowski, new music composer
Nick Sandys, Artistic Director, Remy Bumppo Theatre
Mindy Rose Schwartz, sculptor
Bernard Williams, painter/sculptor
Jack Zimmerman, storyteller
Sean Graney, playwright
Rob Mazurek, electro-acoustic composer, cornetist, and visual artist
Julia Miller, sound artist, guitarist, and composer
Simone Muench, poet
Chris Newman, sculptor
Donald Noon, sculptor
Damon Locks, visual artist and musician
James Morrow, dancer and choreographer
Dan Ramirez, painter
Eric Stephenson, sculptor
Stephen Burns, artistic director and conductor, Fulcrum Point
Stacy Garrop, composer
Ayako Kato, dancer and choreographer
Tim Anderson, painter
Chris Bradley, sculptor
Chloe Jensen, choreographer and artistic director, Aerial Dance Chicago
Jill King, sculptor
Renee Baker, composer
Eric Lindsey, sculptor,
Scott Stack, painter
Elsa Munoz, painter
Mike Reed, drummer/impresario
Olea Nova, painter/composer