Rising Stars: Meet Antione of Chicago

Today we’d like to introduce you to Antione.

Hi Antione, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My story begins at the early age of seven around 1984, which was the same exact year the cartoon called the Transformers aired on television. By the way, this was that good old fashioned Tv, before Cable television and apps or even cellphones. As the story goes, I was sitting at the kitchen table, sketching, larger images of the cartoon characters called the transformers into a notebook. I was drawing the images by looking at some collectors cards that I had at the time. While doing this I was seen Why is adult family member who ask if I had sketched the images or traced them? After picking up my notebook and thumbing through it, they said wow, you drew these. They than asked “can you draw anything else”? after this, I began observing everything in shape and sketching it on my mother, standing in the kitchen to random objects, sitting on the kitchen table, along with the sunlight and shadow around each object, they was right, I could really draw. I would go on to become the neighborhood in the community artist who also became a Barbara while in high school during my freshman year. Later, I would go onto complete undergrad with a bachelor of arts and psychology and communications. Elementary school I also created a exact image of the human immune system being broken down by the virus called HIV showing the white T cells breaking down, after winning the science fair, I would go on to use the exact same project in high school which also warned me who’s who scholarship which I never took a advantage of. Later while working in My first professional career in psychology, I would marry my first wife who encouraged me to delve deeper into Art. This is where I began painting, but at the time I would make paintings from found objects in the house, such as cardboard, hair, products, and household products. About five years into the marriage, I would relocate to Southern California with a scholarship for art I received scholarships from Cal poly and Claremont graduate university, I chose Claremont graduate university because at the time my ex-wife also received a full scholarship to Claremont seminary school which included a n apartment. This gave me my decision for Clairmont graduate university where I would enter in not doing the fall season, but during the spring of 2014. I will wake up one morning and ride my 10 speed baby blue schwinn bicycle to class for the first day, while riding I noticed three black very large birds Who won the sidewalk as I continue to buy towards them I figured they would fly away, which they did but once they were from my site, I would see a carcass lyi in front of me as I approached it I tried to swerve way or around it, but I was right upon it and my bike flipped over. The next day I would wake up and wash my face to discover that there was something floating in my right eye. After all of this occurred, I would go to a multiple physicians before I got to a specialist, called a retina eye specialist. I Was told that the blood vessels in both my eyes had burst and the blood had began to dry and detach my retinas, mainly in my left eye. I became blind for over 2 years, It took 7 surgeries and God to restore my vision. All of this would take place while I was enrolled in art school I had a first procedure that failed in a second procedure at work. I decided to figure out how to navigate to the campus of Claremont graduate universities art school on my own wow blind. After my first attempt was a success going from the dorms to the Claremont art school campus and finding my way into my studio, I discovered that I could see. I began setting up my canvas and dripping and pouring paint onto a canvas that I had also prepped for painting. While in my studio I also began to fill around for. some painting tape, I picked up a round object and held it up and discovered that I could see through it. I will go to paint and then go back with the glass cylinder and do detail work, I would complete a total of eight large scale paintings, and several small skill paintings, seven paintings were presented to my dishes show all of these paintings were made by myself and hung in the gallery by myself. My teacher show was titled, a room without a view. A month later, the Doctor Who performed my surgeries would have classes produced from an exact same lenses as the magnifying glass that I picked up wow. One month later, my surgeon who performed the surgeries on my eyes who will want to develop eyeglasses with the exact same lenses as the round object I picked up, which was in fact a magnifying glass that I bought with me from Chicago. After this, I would gradually get my vision back after having cataract laser surgery I would go onto enroll into London Sunby art school and get accepted, but did not go. I would later teach special-needs students as an art instructor at the center for art located in Pomona. Also, before leaving Southern California, I was diagnosed as a stage three kidney failure. This was right after I received my site back. nonetheless, I would relocate to Las Vegas, Nevada, and eventually become divorced. Return to Illinois receive a kidney transplant from a living donor get married to my amazing new wife by a brand new house and return back to work in the social service fee working with immigrants and the undocumented. I am doing well. I am blessed and highly favored, to God be all the glory for he alone is worthy of all the praises.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No road I traveled was smooth to say the least the road was very rocky and shattered. I was faced with many different challenges. I was homeless. I suffered renal kidney failure. I endured dialysis for three years and all of this after I was buying two years then was asked for a divorce after 13 years of marriage. I would say the only thing taken from this situation. that I have been very disappointed about none of my artwork or important materials that I use to create and produce the art paintings, sculptures photography. I was not able to take with me, and there were many pieces of art that was taken from me by my ex-wife, I have still to this day, not been given information regarding the whereabouts of my artwork. No

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My work is based heavily upon my live experiences. I would also argue that what I make students from a place of talent, a true gift from God I can recall as a kid chipping away at a huge log in the back of my yard, determined to. Sculpt it and shake it into what I believe would be shocking great. As an artist, I am capable of creating an and many different disciplined. related to art my imagination is Paramount. It is one that is good and full of challenges. My thought process would constitute as a sponge. I am always. determined to shut up as much wisdom and knowledge and understanding of the world around me as possible so I am a learning artist as well as a teaching artist I believe that even when I am just living life as they say, I am also creating. My favorite thing to do in art is to research. My second thing would be to paint. My third thing is photography which I experiencing a very different way now what sets me apart from Others is how I approach the task of life , I do not see a barrier. I only see a road ahead that needs to be drained. I know eventually that I will accomplish what I set out to accomplish. My journey is not by sight, but by faith in God and I do not create.simply because I want to but because I have to. The The world that we live in has forfeited its color for greed, jealousy hatred, and envy. There is a great need for art.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I believe that a risk is related to the ideal of chaos just as it has been said that chaos is a ladder. A risk is as stepping outside of the box. And realizing one’s true meaning and purpose in life. I have taken many risk, taking a risk to get up while buying and walk-through moving traffic coming and going traffic crossing a major street and two other streets as a physical risk by the greatest risk of all is not a a tangible His based upon his spiritual battle or challenge, it is based upon the weight that the world, places apart and invisible, who is told that they do not belong. It is the fact that growing up with only one parent. no, I am that stepping out into a great bagel world is a risk because you have no idea where you are going how to get there and what is needed if you are confronted by success. Example also is starting a buisness without any experience or graduating college when no one else did.

Pricing:

• Abstract painting: Finding my zone- 75,000
• Abstract painting: Meyer Lansky-150,000
• Abstract painting: A burst of confidence- 70,000
• Abstract painting: Hulk smash-170,000
• Abstract painting: Man Falling-57,000

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @CHAOSLEO7
• Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/antione.leonard.583

Image Credits
Photographers:

Howard D. Simmons

Jamal Hasef