“Wesley Kimler is one of the best painters of our time. Fluent in myriad styles as broad as abstraction to realism, he is capable of convincingly putting onto canvas any image or form he wants – and he juxtaposes many.
He is a painter’s painter and eschews much of what’s going on in the world’s art centers. He does not work to appease his audience; he works to overwhelm them with the content, stature and the power of his imagery. His paintings are often huge – sometimes as large as 10 by 30 feet. They are heroic statements about brave, or obdurate, inspirational human endeavor, addressing issues of life, death and the pursuit of excellence.
Kimler takes control of his art, his output and his career. He doesn’t suffer fools or the ‘hanky-panky’ that pervades the artworld – sometimes to his own detriment. For him, quality is more important than convenience, integrity more significant than contrivance, and honest technique a prerequisite for being considered an artist at all.
It is a rare bird who embraces technology, reads prolifically, knows precisely what is going on in remote portions of the globe and maintains a strict allegiance to what has become old school – a painter who paints – one who insists that good technique is mandatory and performed by the person who puts their name to the work.
Nick Sandys is an award-winning actor, director, and fight choreographer, as well as an educator. He is a Resident Fight Director at Lyric Opera of Chicago where he has designed violence for over 70 productions (recent credits include Fidelio, Carmen, Ernani, Macbeth, Tosca, West Side Story and Jesus Christ Superstar). He also directed the 2019 revival of Strauss’ Elektra (also at Dallas Opera 2024 and Houston Grand Opera 2018). His Jeff-award-winning fight direction has been seen all over Chicagoland, including over 30 productions at Goodman Theatre (most recently Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil, Gem of the Ocean, Clyde’s, Cherry Orchard, Swing State), as well as on Broadway (Steppenwolf’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), at The Metropolitan Opera (Prince Igor, Giulio Cesare, Il Trovatore), and regionally. Nick is a member of the College of Fight Masters (the highest rank) with The Society of American Fight Directors and has been adjunct faculty at The Theatre School at DePaul University since 1995.
Nick was the Producing Artistic Director of Remy Bumppo Theatre Company from 2012-2021 and a founding member of the ensemble, where he appeared in 17 productions and directed numerous others, including Howards End, Great Expectations, Life of Galileo, Travesties, Our Class, and Seascape. Nick has also directed shows for First Folio (Merry Wives, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth) where he was an Artistic Associate, and for Noble Fool Theatricals, Chamber Opera Chicago, Fort Worth Shakespeare in the Park, Stage West, Circle Theatre (TX), among others.
Nick has also performed in over 150 theatrical productions nationwide including productions at the Remy Bumppo, First Folio, Northlight, Chicago Shakespeare, Goodman, Writers’ Theatre, Mercury Theatre, Next Theatre, Lookingglass, Marriott Lincolnshire, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Light Opera Works, and Chamber Opera Chicago, as well as regionally and Off Broadway. He has received 22 Joseph Jefferson Nominations (10 as an actor, 5 as a producer, 4 as a fight choreographer, and 3 as a director), as well as an After Dark Award, a Dallas/Ft.Worth Critics Circle Award, and he was a 2019 Audie Finalist for his audiobook narration of Stoker’s Dracula.
Nick holds MAs in English Literature from both Cambridge University and Loyola University Chicago (as well as a PhD [abd] from Loyola), and he is the proud recipient of a 2011 Achievement Award from The Helen Coburn Meier and Tim Meier Charitable Foundation For The Arts.
Jeffrey Kowalkowski is proud to serve as “composer in residence” for Stockyard Institute. Jeff has worked with Jim Duignan for decades on sound art projects with students of all ages, and has created many sound installations and radio broadcasts. Including “Synthia Lanois” which was created by students and installed at DePaul Art Museum (FALL 2023). With students, he directed several performances and recordings for the 25 year Retrospective of Stockyard Institute at DPAM (2022).
Dr. Kowalkowski currently serves as adjunct professor at DePaul School of Music, and Northeastern Illinois University where he leads the Computer Music Practicum Lab. Here he works with students on creating new electro-acoustic compositions.
Creatively, he is working on film scoring, and has written music for several full length feature films with director Mark Siska, LLC. He also curated “New Music at the Green Mill” in Chicago (1991-2022).
Teaching private piano at Access Contemporary Music in Avondale, his students range from age 3 to 93.
As an improvising multi-instrumentalist he has performed at the finest venues in the Midwest and Internationally. He has recorded for Neuma Records, New Atlantis Records, Uvulittle Records, and No Harm Done Media.
