Comedy Artist Styles - ArtsKCGo.com

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James Bland

Visual

I work in acrylic on wood and canvas. My art ranges from abstract to figurative. I am graphic and fine arts trained. I enjoy creating my primitive art which harkens back to the days of early cave painting. My abstracts are often created by applying paint, then removing most of what I applied. Many of my pieces will contain hidden imagery. I have sold what I have created around the world. I am also known for the miniatures I sculpt for tabletop gaming.

Wolfe Brack

Visual; Curation

I’m a self-taught artist born in Kansas City, MO. I’ve always loved exceptionally small things. I like that they quietly demand more of our focus in order to engage with them. My work is meant to draw the viewer in, either because it is small, complicated, playful, reflective of yourself / someone you know, or all of the above. In this way, I’m able to connect, play, and share experiences with total strangers without even being in the room. I’m currently the Operations Manager and Curator for the InterUrban ArtHouse in Overland Park, KS.

Evan Brown

Community-Based Art; Visual

My name is Evan “Doodle Dood” Brown and I am a Kansas City based painter and illustrator with an absolute and utter obsession with what I do. After graduating from the University of Kansas with a degree in Illustration I formed Doodle Dood LLC, a business that centers around my desire to use creativity to promote positivity, growth and change in the minds of kids and adults alike. My brand has gone on to work with companies such as Facebook, Anheuser-Busch, Hallmark, Knoll, Kansas City’s Power and Light District, and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, among others. Energized by my Native American roots and a deep passion and respect for the outdoors, I find my inspiration in the optical intricacies and vibrant color palettes found in the natural world. I exclusively paint my work by hand, mixing all of my colors out of the primaries in order to keep my work as consistent with nature as possible. My blend of traditional application with contemporary illustration fulfills a desire to bridge the gap between the fine art and illustration worlds. My ultimate mission is to embody the synergy of life and take my viewers on a whimsical journey through the unknown by shedding light on the esoteric side of existence and visually stimulating non-visual sensations such as thought, sound, and consciousness. But most importantly, I enjoy all things out of the ordinary and want nothing more than to create stuff that makes people smile!

Jamie Campbell

Film; Multi-Disciplinary; Performance Art; Theatre; Stand-up Comedy

I am a multi-disciplinary artist who tours the United States as a stand-up comedian and storyteller. I am a stage and screen actor as well as a produced screenwriter and playwright. My work focuses on connecting audiences through the shared experience of joy. As a comedian, my solo performances have garnered praise from critics and audiences alike. A reviewer recently called my solo stand-up show, Big Dad Energy, "possibly the most positive stand-up act in existence." A veteran of over 30 comedy and Fringe festivals, I have been fortunate enough to receive accolades including "Best of Fringe" honors in Kansas City and Tucson, "Best Stand-up or Variety Performance" by San Antonio's Bexar Stage, and was named Chicago's "Best Stand-Up Comedian" by The Chicago Reader. My comedy album, Tell Me You’re Proud of Me, debuted at #1 on Amazon’s comedy charts. My film and television work includes appearances on NBC's Chicago Fire and Pop TV's Hollywood Darlings, and a starring role in the cult favorite webseries Lunch and Learn. Recently, I received the award for "Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film" at the Sunny Side Up Film Festival for my role in Millennial With A Cane. I have been fortunate enough to share the stage or work on projects with countless legendary names in comedy and entertainment, including Damon Wayans, Hannibal Buress, Cameron Esposito, Oscar Isaac, Chris Redd, Scott Adsit, Ty Burrell, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Alicia Keys, Tech N9ne, and Dana Carvey. My feature screenplay, Call Me Thor, has received numerous accolades, including being named "Best Feature Screenplay" at a handful of festivals throughout the United States. My pilot, Gary Wakes Up took first prize at the Lit Laughs International Comedy Film Festival, and my horror short Dead, Baby received first prize at this year's Fade In Awards. My short script, Mourning Sickness is currently being produced by V-Pac Productions in the United Kingdom.

Melissa Chaney

Visual

Picasso blamed the camera for the fall of fine art. He then decided to create a new style called cubism where the camera was not needed in order for the artist to share creativity and imagery. The camera can capture things that are real so as an artist I choose to bring imagination and whimsy to the viewer. As stated by my son Zach "The worst thing is to be mundane". I grew up near Chicago, Illinois and later moved to Missouri to earn a BSE in Art Education and later an MSE focusing on Painting and Art History. I have been both married and teaching since 1991. My husband and two grown boys have always been a valuable part of my career as an artist. My studio has several series going on at the same time and I work on whichever I am in the mood for. Once Upon A Time is a merge of famous painters (inspired from teaching art history courses) with well-known stories, myths and legends. This series has been influenced by my mother, who read many stories to me as a child. They must have stuck with me. I combine my memories of them with a fun twist. My travel series has cityscapes, landscapes and villages from several family adventures. I recently returned from a European Vacation and have many photo references to sort through. Family Figures is a personal series rendered in graphite, acrylic and oil paints. I have also dabbled in watercolor, needle felting and chalk pastel with sports and botanical themes. I do teach group and personal lessons. Inquire if interested.

Jack and Charley Comedy

Theatre

Jack and Charley Comedy present their raucous revue, Acid Trip. The duo will explore themes of friendship, family, and truth within the mind-bending, psychedelia of an acid trip. Scenes include a reunion with an old friend during a hostage situation, a re-examination of the flaws of Aladdin, and an attempt to understand what is love and what is not love.

Jackie Denning

Visual; Writer

Jackie Denning is a local of Kansas City and has a degree from K.U. in textile design. Her fourth travel book Hawk One, Snake Zero will be available in February. Her previous travel books are Mr. Campys Goes to... and other Adventures Bippity Bopping Around During the Pandemic 2021 Won One She makes and sells functional ceramics. Her books are available as audiobooks for free on Soundcloud.

Melissa Feris

Community-Based Art; Visual; Muralist

Muralist. Large scale murals of any subject both interior and exterior. The Mural Artist has been painting murals and custom artwork for residents and commercial property owners since 1999. The Mural Artist paints using acrylic paint on walls and canvas.

L. David Hesler

Literary; Multi-Disciplinary; Visual; Podcast production, Digital storytelling

L. David Hesler is an author of horror, fantasy, and science fiction for teen and adult readers. His work has been featured in the literary magazines "New Wine," "The Ivy Review," and "State of Imagination." His first original stage play was produced in 2012. For several years he fused his love of genre fiction with his passion for hard rock by founding the online bands DeepSkyTraveler and The Pale Hypnotic. Most recently he produced original podcasts, including the serialized horror story "Bad Notes" as well as "The Be Mega Podcast," where he brainstorms absurd original super heroes with his lifelong friend Adam Martens. As you read this text, he’s probably thinking of ways to simultaneously give you goosebumps and make you giggle. Be warned.

Justin Howe

Multi-Disciplinary; Performance Art; Theatre; Visual; Puppetry

I am a puppet builder and performer in the Kansas City area. I focus my puppets on material that is for adults, and suitable for children. We perform a radio show performed with puppets at The Buffalo Room. I am available for custom puppet builds, and/or performance. Please email me for details.

Merrique Jenson

Community-Based Art; Film; Multi-Disciplinary; Performance Art; Theatre; Visual; Documentary Filmmaking & Community Storytelling

Nationally-recognized artist, trans justice & racial equity trainer, Merrique Jenson of SocialScope Productions will be facilitating this summit. Merrique (she/her) is a queer and trans, multiracial anti-violence advocate and artist of color. For the past 18 years, she has worked closely with street-based youth, communities of color, and LGBTQ people in the fields of youth programming, anti-violence advocacy, racial justice, and community empowerment. She is the Director of SocialScope Productions, a consulting and coaching company focused on LGBTQ multimedia projects, community storytelling, and building innovative, equity program design models and professional development training. She also currently serves as the Program Director for Transformations, a Kansas City-based youth organization serving transgender and nonbinary young people ages 12 - 24. Merrique is a respected community advisor and equity consultant having worked closely with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, The Coterie Theatre, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. She is a two-time full-project award winner with the Kansas City Rocket Grants, a published writer, documentary filmmaker, DJ (DJ Stunt Queen) headlining multiple Pride Festivals, and has been a national keynote speaker with her intersectional projects. FB @merriquejenson T & IG @merriquej

Heidi Pitre

Visual

Heidi was born and raised in New Orleans. After graduating from the University of New Orleans in 1997, she was usually creating, even if it was in the form of child-rearing and house renovations. By 2009 she was a full-time artist with the help of commissions, public art, and digital projects. She is a recipient of the Pollock Krasner Grant and the Mississippi Arts Commission Fellowship, with an ever-expanding list of publications, residencies, grants, awards, and nationwide shows. In 2019 she had simultaneous solo shows for the East Austin Studio Tour. One show was a series of paintings titled Southern Peculiar at the Dougherty Arts Center. The other was her collection of exquisitely rendered library card drawings at the Elizabet Ney Museum. Both collections have been displayed multiple times across the country. Her 40-foot mural, "Suffragette" in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, celebrates the 19th amendment and is dedicated to all women who have held office over the last century. Heidi currently resides in Kansas City, constantly adding to her CV which you can view on her website.

David Wayne Reed

Literary; Multi-Disciplinary; Theatre

David Wayne Reed is a playwright, director, producer and actor from Kansas City, Missouri. Plays include: Help Yourself, Jolly Rancher, Mother Trucker, Mother Trucker 2: Ride On, Sequoia, and Peggy and Paul at the Post Office in Provincetown. As an actor, he has appeared at the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theatre Festival, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, Fishtank Performance Studio, The Living Room, Late Night Theatre, and Seaside Repertory Theatre. He has been awarded two Inspiration Grants from Arts KC, has won multiple Best of Awards from the Pitch Weekly, and has been Writer-In-Residence at Charlotte Street and Escape to Create. In 2017, Reed received a Rocket Grant from Charlotte Street Foundation and Spencer Museum of Art with support from the Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts for his debut film, Eternal Harvest. Reed was recognized as one of 25 reasons 'Why We Love KC Now' in the 2017 Best of KC issue of Pitch. His early career as a founding member of Late Night Theatre is part of the permanent collection of the Gay and Lesbian Archives of Mid-America (GLAMA) at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Reed is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America. He hosts and produces the popular ‘show and tell’ storytelling series, Shelf Life.

Alexej Savreux

Film; Literary; Performance Art; Visual

Alexej Savreux is a poet, satirist, artist, and journalist who cuts multimedia with a conceptual practice rooted in using epistemology as a medium for electronic, literary, and performing interventions. Alexej’s work blends polystylism, neopragmatism, and digital media with an academic and satirical bent. In his work, he pursues the internal modification of the human heart as his primary intellectual, artistic, and philosophical objective. He has authored and co-authored multiple peer-reviewed articles and written for various regional art publications. Alexej’s poetry and art can be purchased on his website, at international auction houses, at regional and national bookstores, through most online vendors, and interlibrary loans. Savreux is available for readings, media interviews, artist presentations/guest speaking engagements, collaborations, and regional, national, and abroad opportunities.

Marc Shank

Visual

ABOUT THE ARTIST Marc Shank is a Kansas City-based artist whose work consists of large-scale acrylic and ink paintings as well as small portraits and silk-screen prints. His work has been showcased at various galleries and venues throughout the Midwest including a one-man exhibition at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art in 2013. In 2012 his work received national attention on the MSN Travel Series Re:Discover and has been featured in a number of area publications including the Kansas City Star, Johnson County Lifestyle, The Pitch and Ink Magazine. Shank is a 2014 Artist, Inc. fellow. ABOUT THE ART Scurvyville is an on-going narrative painting series immersing visitors in the lives of the oddball residents of an eccentric fictional town. Piece by piece, the series walks viewers through a fly-on-the-wall tour of the town’s streets, alleyways and sordid hangouts, revealing the quirky inner lives of Scurvyville’s residents. SELECTED EXHIBITIONS Kauffman Center for Performing Arts – Lobby Exhibition – November 17, 2016 Little to Show (Solo Exhibition) – Wheat Studios – Kansas City, MO October First Fridays, 2015 Boulevardia - July, 2015 Hello Art Featured Artist (Solo Exhibition) – Wheat Studios – Kansas City, MO October First Fridays 2013 Home Works (Group Exhibition) – The Baker Arts Center – Liberal, KS June – August 2013 Local Color: A Narrative of Scurvyville (Solo Exhibition) – The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art – St. Joseph, MO April – June 2013 The Pitch Presents Artopia Group Exhibition - Screenland Crossroads – Kansas City, MO April 2012 Welcome to Scurvyville: The Artwork of Marc Shank (Solo Exhibition) – Piper Lofts - Kansas City, MO October 2011 Open Studios on Charlotte Street (Group Exhibition) – Kansas City, MO 2009 9th National Juried Art Exhibition – Baker Arts Center – Liberal, KS 2006 PUBLICATIONS/MEDIA Blue Monday Review - Volume 3, No. 2 Cover – July, 2016 The Pitch - Middle of the Map Fest Event Guide - April 27, 2016 Andrews McMeel's GoComics - 2014-2015 The Pitch - Crossroads Hit List – October 2, 2013 Leader & Times - Visit Scurvyville this Weekend – July 5, 2013 Johnson County Lifestyle - Our Favorite KC Artists – June 27, 2013 St. Joseph News Press - Three New Exhibits Open at Albrecht Kemper – April 18, 2013 Kansas City Star - A Narrative of Scurvyville – April 14, 2013 MSN Re:Discover – A Surprisingly Good Fit for Art – August 24, 2012 Ink - Best of the Week – October 6, 2011 Kansas City Star - First Fridays Featured Shows – October 6, 2011 The Pitch - Night & Day Featured Shows – October 6, 2011 The Pitch - Crossroads Exhibition Guide – Cover Image – May, 2009 ORGANIZATIONS/AFFILIATIONS Artist Inc. (2014 Fellow), Hello Art, Art & Copy Club of Kansas City, American Institute of Graphic Arts, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City

Stephonne Singleton

Multi-Disciplinary; Music; Performance Art; Theatre

STEPHONNE Rock and R&B collide with the sultry, silky and vocal grit of Stephonne, an artist who conjures up the spirits of Prince and Billie Holiday but that delivers something inimitable, visceral, strange and beautiful.

Vi Tran

Literary; Multi-Disciplinary; Music; Theatre

I’m a preacher’s kid and the son of butchers. I was born in the shadow of Sai Gon, Vietnam and raised in the cattle country of southwestern Kansas. I’m equal parts sea salt and wheat fields. As a storyteller, actor, singer-songwriter, composer, and playwright, I utilize a variety of methods and disciplines to examine topics as varied as the unpacking of inherited cultural trauma among refugee populations living in diaspora to the dismantling of the toxic masculinity within the mythos of the Hemingway Hero. My work, including my autobiographical Vietnamese American folk musical, The Butcher’s Son, straddles the dichotomy of Americana and the foreign Other. Using potent and empathetic storytelling about difficult subject matter but with the accessible and plainspoken straightforwardness of my southwestern Kansas roots, my work presents a path to healing, hope, and unity in an ever-divided society.

KiYanna Uchawi

Community-Based Art; Multi-Disciplinary; Music; Performance Art; Theatre; DRAG/FEMALE IMPERSONATION

Te’ Minor also known as KiYanna Uchawi is a drag artist based out of Kansas City, MO. For the last 8 months KiYanna has realized the need for diverse entertainment and inclusion was missing in Kansas City. As the Show Director of Queen Priscillas, located off of the historic 39th Street in KCMO, KiYanna has successfully curated a space within the LGBTQ+ community that over 50 entertainers can call home. With a background in theater and competitive acting KiYanna focuses their performances on soul, and storytelling. A song is more than a song, a song is a message with a deeper meaning and KiYanna finds passion in expressing that vision. As an activist within the KCMO community, KiYanna protested during the Black Lives Matter movement during the Summer of 2020. KiYanna uses their voice to not only fight to disrupt injustice within systems of oppression but, they use their voice to empower and educate others around them. KiYanna is more than an entertainer, they’ve realized that through the art of Drag they’ve gained a platform to change the minds of many. KiYanna aspires to use their gift to continue to work with excluded groups to bring, joy, passion and entertainment that anyone can enjoy.

Julia Vering

Community-Based Art; Multi-Disciplinary; Music; Performance Art

I am a performance artist, musician, animator and hospice social worker. I balance my client-centered social work with the need to create intensely personal, introspective performances to share with the public. Through music, interactive projections, costumes, stop motion animations and narration, I draw the audience into an absurd, magical world. Collaborating mostly with marginalized members of society, my work is therapeutic in process, visually captivating and emotionally relatable. I explore mortality, loneliness, absurdity and empathy, monumentalizing the mundane and forgotten through multimedia performance. I conduct bi-monthly experimental video-based drama therapy with individuals with dementia for Jeanne’s Place Dementia Activity program. My solo multimedia performance work has continued to evolve, utilizing large-format interactive projections, 2 channel video, processed accordion, and collaborations with individuals with dementia as actors and dancers culminating in The Understudy, a piece funded by The Charlotte Street Foundation. I am continually compelled to make art, a ritual that gives my life meaning.

AY Young

Dance; Music; Performance Art

Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, AY is a producer, writer, rapper, and singer/songwriter. AY got his musical start in 2012 on the X Factor TV show, receiving four Yes’ from celebrity judges L.A. Reid, Britney Spears, Louis Walsh, and Demi Lovato. Performance AY independently performed 215+ Tour & college shows (2015-2016), 230+ in 2016-2017, and 175+ in 2017 including opening for SHAGGY, Aaron Carter, T-Pain, Timeflies, Flo-Rida, XV and more. AY’s first single “Say Hey” has nearly 40K views on Youtube, and his newly released “Creep Creep" has over 27K views. Ourstage Charts (MTV partner) -Reached 13th Best Urban Charts 2015 -Reached Top ten in Rap and Hip Hop 2015 -Reached Top in R&B March 2015 -Reached Top 10 Hip Hop December 2013 AY founded the "Battery Tour" The |TOUR| just released it's debut album "Above & Beyond" which is available everywhere digital music is sold. First Battery Tour release, "Above and Beyond" includes the single’s “Say Hey” & "Creep Creep." The Battery Tour is a grant recipient of the prestigious ArtsKC Inspiration Grant during the 2017-2018 Grant Cycle.

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