Tewz1 is a visual artist & multi-instrumentalist from Chicago, ILL.

Tewz studied visual communications, printmaking, 8/16mm film, & holography at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). He has created & exhibited artwork for 11 Spring St. NYC, Burger King, Adidas, Juxtapoz, Lollapalooza, & North Coast Music Festival.

Born & raised on the South Side of Chicago in the 80’s, Tewz was running down CTA elevated tracks, and painting tunnels in the early 90’s Chicago Graffiti scene. He co-ran the Independent Hip Hop record label Frontline in the early 00’s releasing albums by Qwazaar, J.U.I.C.E, and Slug (Atmosphere). An avid record digger and beat maker, Tewz has organized shows and performed musically both nationally and internationally in Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, Reykjavik, Tokyo, Bogota, and others.

Tewz played clarinet as a child before moving on to drums, guitar, keys, electronic hardware and sound production. His father played in the Chicago Hard Rock band Battle Axe. Tewz is an all hardware producer using a variety of diy electronics, analog synths, samplers, and guitar pedals including the MPC2000XL, tape loops, diy delay circuits, and other vintage gear.

In 2007, Tewz won the Cut&Paste Digital Design Championship in Chicago. He self released a die-cut picture vinyl titled Helix in 2012. In 2013, he released two 7″ records on Heardrums (Michigan) & Luana (Berne, Switzerland). In 2016, Tewz won a Moog Sub Phatty at the 5th Annual MoogFest Circuit Bending Challenge modifying a yamaha VSS-30 FM synthesizer into an 8 step sequencer and patchable Bad OP-erator (M is for Moog) with built in distortion, delay, and 3-step pitch clock oscillator.

Past projects include  modified newspaper boxes (MonsterBox), Chicago Police Brutality Coloring Books with miniaturized offset wagons, animated gif’s of Prince & Obama, and fake postage stamps (they actually worked btw) of famous (imPOSTer)’s including Andy Kaufman (as Tony Clifton), John Howard Griffin, David Hampton, and Frank Abagnale.

CV

Education

2010 BFA, Visual Communications/Print Media, (SAIC) School of the Art Institute of Chicago
2007 Akademie Výtvarných Umění (AVU), Prague, Czech Republic

Selected Exhibitions

2017 Dia De Los Muertos,
Under the Bridge Studio, Chicago

2015 Salas Abiertas,
Centro Colombo Americano, Bucaramanga

2013 Chicago Reader
Living Gallery, North Coast Music Festival, Chicago

2013 Has Beens & Wannabees,
Zhou B Art Center, Chicago

2012 Juxtapoz X Hater Graffiti Brunch,
SXSW, Austin

2012 Festival Kosmopolite,
Bagnolet, Paris

2012 Chicago Reader Living Gallery,
North Coast Music Festival, Chicago

2011 Work of Art: The Next Great Artist,
Bravo TV, New York

2011 Meeting Of Styles,
Zhou B Art Center, Chicago

2011 Chicago Reader Living Gallery,
North Coast Music Festival, Chicago

2011 Text & Drugs & Rock & Roll,
Maxwell Colette Gallery, Chicago

2011 Home Movie Screenings,
Dorchester Project, Chicago

2011 Yo Soy Aire,
Hot Pop Gallery, Milwaukee

2011 Chicago Street Art Show,
Urban Art Society, Chicago

2010 Chicago Reader Gallery,
North Coast Music Festival, Chicago

2010 54 B Stole Christmas,
54 B Gallery, Chicago

2010 MonsterBox Art Show,
54 B Gallery, Chicago

2009 Going Postal’s Revenge,
Maya Essence, Chicago

2009 Raven Black – A Kwanzaa Tale,
DuSable Museum of African American History, Chicago

2008 Neighborhood Public Radio (NPR),
Whitney Biennial, New York

2008 Department (Store),
Sullivan Galleries. Chicago

2008 Who Art Thou,
Lollapalooza, Chicago

2008 Veni Vidi Vici,
Juxtapoz x Club Six, San Francisco

2008 Keys Open Doors,
South Union Arts, Chicago

2008 Hello My Name is Chicago,
The Country Club, Chicago

2008 Wax Burner,
A. Okay Gallery, Chicago

2007 They’re Hatin’,
We’re Rollin’, Co-Prosperity Sphere, Chicago

2007 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

2006 Improvised Identity,
Dulcenea, Chicago

2006 Fall Arts Festival,
Around the Coyote, Chicago

2005 Around the Coyote Fall Arts Festival,
ArtIsTroy Gallery, Chicago

Awards

2010 Mary Koga Award,
Japan America Society of Chicago

2007 Presidential Merit Scholarship,
School of the Art Institute of Chicago

2007 SAIC Grant,
School of the Art Institute of Chicago