Biography

TEWZ 1 (b. 1980, Chicago)

(*QUE DRUM BREAK*) Jack of all trades, master of some. A renaissance man for the new millennium. 2007 Cut&Paste Digital Design Tournament Champion. TEWZ 1 is a is a graffiti writer, lyricist, pixel pusher, DJ, beatsmith, crate digger, radio personality, break dancer, actor, painter, printer, photographer, heart breaker, trouble maker, alcoholic, liar, thief, lover, fighter, smart ass, teacher, student, and a pretty damn fine cook. Born and raised in Chicago, IL, TEWZ has been running around on rooftops, in train yards, and through subway tunnels for the last 16 years. His art can be found in the streets and galleries of Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and as far away as London, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, São Paulo, and Rio De Janeiro. Past projects include fake postage stamps depicting famous imPOSTors, (they actually worked by the way), plastic police patty wagon piggy banks, and news paper dispensers turned into Monster Boxes. He has collaborated on new work with organizations such as Lollapalooza, Juxtapoz, the Art Institute of Chicago Museum Store, and Adidas. TEWZ is currently working on life sized screen prints, building pirate radio transmitters, and looking for an apartment. Stay Tuned.


Artist Statement

My work is the visual commentary of my experiences living in Chicago.  Trains in the distance, police, the homeless, traffic, concrete, crack heads, steel, broken glass, restaurants, rats, businessmen, bars, liquor stores, old buildings, street musicians.  Every day I walk out my door, my senses are bombarded until I return.  Sometimes it’s sad, sometimes its funny, and once in a while it’s even beautiful.  I take it all in like a camera and then process it later.  I get completely filled with all of this shit and I can’t do anything except let it out.  It’s involuntary.  It comes when it comes. I can’t force it and I don’t have a choice. I paint in the vernacular, so I guess that makes my work low art. Sometimes it's high art, but then it gets a little uncomfortable cuz it rather be on some bricks behind a dumpster in some shady part of town.

Resume

EDUCATION

Current Student, Visual Communications/Print media, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2007)
Associates Degree, University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana (1998)

AWARDS

Presidential Merit Scholarship, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2007)
SAIC Grant, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2007)

EXHIBITIONS

Who Art Thou, Lollapalooza, Chicago (2008)
Veni Vidi Vici, Juxtapoz Magazine, San Francisco (2008)
Keys Open Doors, South Union Arts, Chicago (2008)
Hello My Name is Chicago, The Country Club, Chicago (2008)
I Love Haters, Empty Bottle, Chicago (2008)
Cut & Paste Digital Design Tournament, Jury Prize, Chicago (2007)
Art Ate New York, The 40 Thompson St. Gallery, New York (2007)
Re:Mission, Think Space, Los Angeles (2007)
Improvised Identity, Dulcenea, Chicago (2006)
Fall Arts Festival, Around the Coyote, Chicago (2006)
Dirty Girls, Lakeview Broadcasting Company, Chicago (2006)
Nocturnal Emissions, D'Vine Restaurant & Wine Bar, Chicago (2006)
Analog Addicts, Tre Via Ristorante, Chicago (2006)
Around the Coyote Fall Arts Festival, ArtIsTroy Gallery, Chicago (2005)
Seize the Night, Big House, Chicago (2005)
Saturation Point, Balazo Gallery, San Francisco (2003)
South by Southwest (SXSW), The Vibe, Austin (2002)
Chicago Rocks, Metro, Chicago (2002)

PROFFESIONAL EXPERIENCE

After School Teacher, South Chicago Art Center (2006)
Guest Teacher, Boys and Girls Club of Chicago (2006)
Guest Teacher, University of Chicago Lab Schools (2006)
Art Director, Cold Crush Cottons (2005)                
Creative Director, Crook Clothing (2005)                                               
Guest Teacher, Walter Payton High School (2002)                               
Art Director, Frontline Records (2001)