"My Origin Story"

 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

Author

Chad 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.

Chad Cortez Everett was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA.   He attended high school at Overbrook High School and Pennsylvania Governor’s School of Excellence for Visual and Performing Arts.  He later received his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Painting and certification in Arts Education from Temple University, Tyler School of Art. Also, Chad earned his Master's degree in Fine Arts from Maryland Institute, College of Art (MICA) where he attended the famous The Hoffeberger School of Painting and worked with Grace Hartigan, a famous American expressionist painter. 

​Chad has been employed by The Colonial School District for seventeen years. Mr. Everett is a full time art teacher and mentor at McCullough Middle School. He was named Teacher of the Year, 2008 in recognition of his exceptional dedication to education and service. Chad continues to create and exhibit his works throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland via public and private exhibitions, craft fairs, and cultural events. He participated in several juried shows and won first place in the 2010 Art Regional Exhibition at the Center for Creative Arts in Delaware. In 2011, Chad was awarded Visual Artist of the Year 2011 by The African American Coalition of Reading.

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