Teri Tobin - Unplugged

Teri, before opening for “The Tequila Tales”, February, 2023. Onyx Music Lounge, Phoenix, Az.

Hello, and good day, my people! I am Teri Tobin, a singer/songwriter, and an avid supporter of creatives.

As some of you may know, I have been in the game as an independent artist for quite some time. It has been my pleasure, and an honor to release projects near and dear to the heart; like “Love Infinity” (2011), “Christmas Child” (2012), “So Good To Me” (2012), “Truth Is” (2014) and a host of other singles that I birthed and/or collaborated on.

Since the release of my last album in 2014, life has given me lots of material to sing and write about, including my most recent project, “Forever”. Initially, the title was to signify that this will be my last album; an official sign off from the music industry. I know I’m not alone when I say that the feelings of doubt that can creep in around challenges we independent artists face can seem insurmountable. The loop of questions asked around the thing you love so deeply can be exhausting. They make you want to throw in the towel, and I was no different.

Since then I have retained the name “Forever”, and it’s taken on a new meaning in a sense, because it feels like it’s taking me “Forever”, if not “Fivever” to finish it, lol! As of late, the largest barrier has been financial.

I’m so close to finishing! To get this project completed, support from art and music lovers is needed. A $25, or $50 contribution towards production, mixing, mastering and some merchandising costs would truly be a blessing. A contribution of *$500, or more, would earn an Executive Producer credit.

Whether you’re a long-time supporter, or a believer in supporting independent artists, I ask you to lead with your heart to invest towards my effort to finish and release a quality 5th full-length project of the type of music that fans have come to know me for. No donation is too small! Every gift will be received with the utmost gratitude and appreciation.

Thank you in advance for your consideration and support.

Forever,

Teri Tobin

R E E D H E A R N E "Unexpected Landscapes"

ABOUT

My photographs intend to challenge viewers to abandon conditioned frames of reference and mental labels associated with the visuals and emotions of everyday life. When we learn to apprehend elements in our visual field unencumbered by the filter of our cataloguing minds, we begin to appreciate that every visual moment has a structure and beauty that calls out to be experienced directly and fresh. Ordinary architectural features, folded bits of paper or common objects can become portals for the imagination to take flight. Instead of letting subject matter dictate interpretation, we can choose to access our native ability to abstract, to make connections, and to mentally surf the tropes of design that allow us to see something that was never there before. In literature, tropes are terms and language that transcend the literal to convey symbolic content. Metaphor, allusion, and irony are examples of this. In the visual realm too, color, form and composition can become figurative tools for the crafting of meaning. All of my work is based on this practiced “way of seeing” that offers up everything before our eyes for reinterpretation. Elemental components are addressed to encourage the imagination to re-contextualize one set of visual assumptions into another.

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Reed Hearne

Joanne Stephens - Life's Mysteries & Joys

"Life's Mysteries & Joys" is on exhibit in the Onyx Salon from July 6th through July 31st.

JOANNE STEPHENS, ARTIST

     Where does beauty begin? For Joanne Stephens, beauty's origins
are unmistakable.  It comes from having  an open heart, a willingness to see with
eyes closed, and the patience to listen with lips sealed as her inner voices speak softly
about the fullness of life with all its colorful shades, mysteries and joys.
though silently, she has been in constant conversation with her own
inner self for as long as she can remember,
      She grew up in Connecticut in a loving, tight-knit extended family.
Her earliest recollections include enjoying the solitude that drawing
provided and being inspired by an uncle's artistic dreams. In time, her
fascination with seeing and experiencing the larger world received a
boost when she became a Flight Attendant and ventured out to distant
dream lands and enchanting getaways. Along the way, she collected
memories that would at once enthrall, yet encourage her to hone her own
craft and skills, and to explore various art forms.  
    Eventually, she decided
on glass as her medium of choice. In it, she found parallels with her own
life; in some instances, she has been vulnerable and fragile; at other
times, her strength and durability have surfaced and healed her wounds.
Like glass, she can be translucent - if she chooses. And like glass, she is
multidimensional, a composite of life's joys and mysteries. Joanne's
visual works - much like  her journey - have been forged over time. After
many years of studying, experimenting and listening to her inner self,
now seeing with her mind's eye, she is ready to share the beauty
of her magnificent, delicate creations.  This collection reveals life, inspired by her journey.
Come and enjoy!

Tal Dvir

Artist, art instructor.  Exhibit: Expressions  Opening reception, Friday, 3.2.218.  6pm

Bio

While currently painting contemporary expressionism, Tal Dvir is grounded in the classic approach inspired by the old masters like Velasquez, El Greco and later by impressionists and expressionists such Pissaro, Degas, Schiele, Giacometti and other modern artists. Dvir's work is a reflection of life and its surroundings, blended in self expression and imagination using a form of he recently developed as his painting style. Influenced by impressionism, expressionism and contemporary art, as well inspired by the textures work of last century's New York modernists such Franz Kline, De Kooning, Philip Guston, Pollock and others of their time. Dvir's work is always on a look for new ideas within his painting through subjects, techniques and expressions. 

Tal Dvir writes about his art:

In my paintings, I'm striving to engage fresh thoughts and ideas. My subjects contain mainly figures but not limited to as I truly see myself as a renaissance painter who seeks for new forms of artistic language within the painting field. I see my work as a process of constant reinvention and although working with paints on canvas, at times my work could be described as sculpting and designing with paints. 

When working on different projects, I utilize the same approach in order to achieve the striking emotions which the viewers can find while observing and experiencing the painting. As my art grows mainly through realistic features in subjects, I keep searching for new forms and ideas. I can say my art lives in the fine line of expressing thoughts, emotions and everyday life by creating realism combined with surrealism and abstract, which are truly the inspiring essentials for my creation, start to end. 

Hugo Medina

Hugo Medina is the artist of our current exhibit, "Portraits".  

Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Hugo immigrated to New York as a child, where his interest in art was fostered by his architect father. Hugo received his BFA from C.W Post/ Long Island University in 1998 and his Masters in Education from University of Phoenix in 2006.

While completing his undergraduate work in New York, Hugo volunteered to teach classes at a summer program at the Kumayya Indian reservation in San Diego, California. His experience at the reservation is what led him to become an art teacher. Upon completing his degree, Hugo’s desire to give back to the community and his love of children led him to a teaching career. Hugo’s great appreciation and admiration of the Southwest and a constant search for adventure brought me to Phoenix in 1998.

Hugo taught art at Squaw Peak School in Phoenix, while continuing to design custom metalwork and sculpture in his free time. During his two years at Squaw Peak, Hugo founded a after school art program to extend the arts beyond the classroom as well as to reach out to the community. In the course of developing this program, Hugo organized and facilitated a series of field trips and off-campus programs with the Scottsdale Art District, Scottsdale Center for the Arts, Arizona State University, Nelson Fine Arts Center, and The Arcosanti Foundation, many of which were inaugural efforts that proved to be successful for all parties.

After a three-year sabbatical to be “Mr. Mom,” Hugo returned to teaching at Madison Park. During his two years at Madison Park he began developing programs, and writing grants for the school. Put together a silent auction which included donations from 40 professional artists from around the country, as well as works from the 730 students he taught. Developed a community garden that was built through donations from the community and grants. The garden now has an international peace pole, one of the 180 in the world and has won numerous grants to further its development.

Feeling his career needed to take a new direction. Hugo left teaching and began working for Ironco enterprises, a steel manufacturing company that was developing an metal arts division. At Ironco, Hugo learned the inner workings of metal construction and fabrication, as well as the use of us computer aided software to help expand his design capabilities.

Michael M. Jackson

The Silent Giant, A Sports Exhibition

This collection of creative graphics has been carefully selected from Michael's expansive catalog to debut his innovative series of sports art memorabilia.  For more than ten years, he has generated a veritable collector's treasure of art, now signed souvenirs of sports enthusiasts across the country.  Onyx Art is privileged to have this valued exhibit on display, and welcome the presence and participation of sports fans and art lovers alike to enjoy this rare and important partnership of creative illustration with athletic entertainment. 

Michael's images have captured their subjects in moments of amazing displays of prolific physical abilities, from high leaps to perfectly arced swings.  His signature skills of composition, technique and creative focus are demonstrated throughout the collection, and all contribute to drawing the viewer into a special, individual experience with his pieces.  

Professionally, Michael is the co-founder of MyaKai Creative, an advertising and digital design firm.  Since it's emergence in 2014, Michael has managed all aspects of the business while establishing himself as a specialist in brand development and strategy incorporation, his own formula to an integrative range of marketing and public relations.  His tactical approaches to cleints' product and image promotion are visionary, and offer key insights to the development and direction for future campaigns.   Such long-term planning cultivates the outreach and potential growth of those businesses. 

Michael has extended the reach of his creative influence for 12 years and counting.  His client list includes labels such as: Brand Jordan, The Upper Deck Company, Balboa Park, Charlotte Hornets, Maxim, NHL, Museum and the Web, Unilever and more.

Artist, Michael "MJ" Jackson.  The Silent Giant, A Sports Exhibition (August 12th)

Creative Focus: Adam Guichard

ADAM GUICHARD, ABSTRACT ARTIST

Adam Guichard is a self-taught artist from the Southside of Chicago. His father, Alfred, brother, Andre, and late cousin, William Dawson influenced Adam's artistic talent. After he graduated from Howard University in 2000, he decided to pursue a career in art. He has done various artshows around the Chicago area, the United States, Cuba and Europe.  Adam uses mixed media to create abstract and 3-Dimensional artworks. Adam also uses glass, cardboard, paper, fiberglass other various materials as a canvas to express his artistic vision. Adam is currently working on 7 different series, Nights Over Rio, Jazz, Abstract Jazz, Kaleidoscope, African Romance, Numbers, and Dominican Sunflower series, that emphasize the African-American experience from the Diaspora to the present day. 

Mr. Guichard's work can be found throughout the city of Chicago, across the US, and around the world. Adam won the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago Black Excellence award for outstanding achievement in Visual Arts for 2011-2012. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority gave Adam the 2013 Fine Arts award. Adam was one of the featured artist on the 2013 and 2014 Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage Cruise. Adam was the Curator for Howard University Alumni Bison on the Vineyard Event held in Martha’s Vineyard. Adam recently was commissioned to create a painting for the new President of Howard University. In his free time Adam, uses his talent to educate and teach art classes at different art events around the nation. His philanthropy works includes, but are not limited to yearly donations to the NFL's Concussion Society, NFL Alumni Association and Dwayne Wade's Foundation Wayne's World.

Mr. Guichard is a young innovative Chicago artist, and proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He defines his work by stating, "Art allows me to express myself through visual media. I create abstract artworks that convey life experiences and ideas using various themes. My artwork is very animated. I not only want the viewers to see my artwork, but I also want them to feel the emotion that comes through the canvas. My art expresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of life. I enjoy putting my life on canvas." 

A selection of three paintings from the "Seven Degrees of Separation" are currently on exhibit on the walls of our Onyx Art Salon.  There are two works from earlier series as well.  View the exhibits page to gain your own impressions, and feel free to visit the space to experience them first hand.

We are honored to offer Mr. Guichard's work to collectors in the Phoenix art circles.  The exhibit will expand during Summer 2017.  We hope to see you soon!.