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I attended Overbrook High School from 1989 until my graduation in 1992. Overbrook High School was a famous magnet school in West Philadelphia which attracted the best musicians, singers and visual artists throughout the Philadelphia. Overbrook High School was my fortress of solitude and I was able to be myself without being judged by others. I wanted to be an professional artist and I enrolled at Overbrook in order to follow my passion. In addition, I wanted to follow in the foot steps of my cousin, Samuel Everett, who also attended Overbrook. Samuel would tell me stories and boasted about the art magnet program and it's positive reputation in the art community. Students who graduated from the Magnet Art Program received scholarships for college. Mr. Kamison was one of the best art teachers in the city and he cared about his students. He spent money from his personal finances and purchased frames and supplies for our senior art show at Saint Joesph's University. I received numerous scholarships and awards while attending Overbrook and I deeply appreciated the experience. The painting below, "The Gift" was my very first oil painting that I completed at Overbrook. Thank you you and God Bless  The Gift Oil on Canvas 24 x36 Not for Sale 
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My older cousin, Samuel Everett, introduced me to art by showing me how to draw superheros at the age of eight. Sam showed me how to transformed a stick figure into a muscle bound superhero. At a young age, Sam was considered a child prodigy in visual arts by his peers and art teachers. Sam's drawing process fascinated me and I continue to go to Sam for small lessons. We would draw cars, faces and animals. He could draw almost anything and created his personal catalog of superheros. He created a superhero called "Panther man" and his hero had to save the world from different villains. I believed Sam could have been the next Stan Lee if the opportunities existence. His talents attracted positive attention and I wanted to be like him. Sam showed me so many drawing techniques that I eventually started winning art contests in elementary school. I started receiving positive attention; as a result, I eliminated the negative behavior in my life. I wanted to spend time mastering my artistic talents and less time hanging in the streets. Art change my life and help me find a purpose. Thank you Sam for opening the door.  Self -Portrait
Collage on Paper 8 x11 NFS Chad Cortez Everett I was born in Philadelphia, PA on May 6 1974 and I had a mother and a sister. Unfortunately, I cannot remember my biological father because he abandoned my family when I was two, In the past, my family lived in an apartment building, in West Philadelphia, that had a serious rat infestation problem. The landlord was a slum lord and did not maintain the property; as a result, the place was a dump. My mother immediately moved us out of the apartment into my aunt house after seeing several rats in our unit. Eventually, my mother moved to Bartram Village Housing Project due to lack of employment and opportunities. I was raised in Bartram Village Housing Projects during the early parts of my childhood which influence my perception of the world. We were raised on public welfare and received food stamps, government yellow cheese and thick butter which feel our stomachs. I remember my aunt cutting the block of cheese into slices and making grill cheese sandwiches for lunch. Also, I remembered drinking the instance powered milk that counted as our calcium. I witnessed the good, the bad, and the ugly side of humanity in projects. was filled with violence, crimes, and drugs; as a result, the odds of survival were against me according to the statistics. My mother swore to get a job and move her family from out of the projects before we become apart of the landscape. Eventually, my mother found two jobs and start making her plan to move from projects for a better life. She worked at Misercordia Hospital and Jefferson Hospital as an Laundry worker for several years. She folded and delivered clothes and towels to different departments at the hospital. When my mother and step father income increased, we moved out of Bartram Villiage and purchased a house outside of Bartram Villiage. I was proud of mother's determination and ambition Her actions became the blue print of my life and I appreciate lessons. I learned hard work and being persistent can change your life.  Chad Cortez Everett Mix Medium 24 x 30 300.00 AuthorChad Cortez Everett is a professional artist, art educator, motivational speaker and media artist. His art work has been exhibited in several galleries, popular craft fairs, cultural events, and important private collections, throughout the Northeast region. Chad paints in a narrative style, creating expressive and awe-striking artwork. Chad is a highly awarded artist, winning first place in the 2010 Art Regional Exhibition at the Center for Creative Arts in Delaware and named the 2011 Visual Artist of the Year by The African American Coalition of Reading.
oGreetings, I am glad to be back on my blog. I have been working on new collages in order to prepare for several upcoming exhibitions in February 2019. I have been examining my old collage works and paintings and stumble across my grand parents series. I created different collages about my grand parents; because, I wanted to play homage and document my experiences. My grandparents were the cornerstone of my social and emotional development. They inspired me to become an artist and art educator. Leonard and Laura Everett encouraged me to work hard and pursue the American Dream. They believed that receiving an excellent education was the gateway to a better opportunities in life. I am blessed that they were apart of life and I still hear them whispering in my ears with wealth of knowledge. Thank you and have a nice week.  Laura and Leonard Everett Oil on Canvas 34 x24 Sold Chad Cortez Everett AuthorChad Cortez Everett is a professional artist, art educator, motivational speaker and media artist. His art work has been exhibited in several galleries, popular craft fairs, cultural events, and important private collections, throughout the Northeast region. Chad paints in a narrative style, creating expressive and awe-striking artwork. Chad is a highly awarded artist, winning first place in the 2010 Art Regional Exhibition at the Center for Creative Arts in Delaware and named the 2011 Visual Artist of the Year by The African American Coalition of Reading.  Greetings, I was honored to have the opportunity to talk with the students and teachers at CAB. I feel very humble by the experience of sharing my life as an artist. I have been teaching for 17 years and exhibiting for 25 years. One thing I learn in life, is to be true to yourself despite what others my say. People will ask you to change things about yourself in order to make you fit into their personal molds. DO NOT SELL YOURSELF SHORT. God made you for a reason and you must stay true to your dreams and ambitions. Haters will always; but, they do not have the final say on how you live your life. Thank for your support and God bless.  I would like to thank you for reading my blog. Please understand that my blog is a journal of my experiences from week to week. Topics can range from making art, examining art and my personal life. This has been a busy week at work and home. I have a an artist's reception at Cab Calloway School of the Arts and I am excited about the exhibition, "The American Dream: The Artist's Vision". I am looking forward to greeting my friends and family at the reception. Also, I am celebrating my 17th Anniversary. I have been married for seventeen years and I enjoy every moment of my marriage. I met my wife on a SEPTA train at Board and Olney in Philadelphia, while traveling home from school. I attended Temple University, Tyler School of Art. I asked Linda if she attended Temple University and she replied no. The conversation continued and we realized that we had a lot in common.. I gave her my number and the rest is history. I am very blessed to have such a beautiful, strong and motivational woman in my life. She always been supportive of my dreams and never down my ideas.  Greetings, I decided to create a blog due to fact I wanted to connect to my audience as an artist and a human being. I realized I had a lot to talk about and I needed an outlet to express myself through writing. The blog gives me the opportunity to share my thoughts with you without being generic or fake. First, I had a wonderful weekend with my family and installed an art exhibition at Cab Calloway School of the Arts in Wilmington. When I install an art exhibition, I like to line the works along the gallery walls and try to figure out the order of the works. The order can depend on the size and color of the works. It takes me twenty minutes to figure out the order of the show; because, I am constantly switching works in and out in the pursuit of finding the perfect wall sequence. Then, I use a mathematical formula to hang the work and I measure first and then hammer the nails in the wall . I try not to put to many unnecessary holes in walls; because, galleries owner do not like you destroying their wall with too many holes. After I hang the show, I apply labels to the work and make sure the works are properly leveled. It's a long process; but, good presentation is everything. Thank you for your support and have a nice week. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
April 2019
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