GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College’s Visiting Artist Lecture Series, sponsored by 1st MidAmerica Credit Union, continues April 21 with Painter Jenny Chi.
“Jenny’s presentation will be the last of this semester’s lecture series, and we are very grateful to her, 1st MidAmerica, our previous speakers, and all who have attended the series. I am certain that the audience at this event will find Jenny’s work to be immensely captivating and of exceptional quality,” said Chris Brennan, coordinator of L&C’s Art Department.
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Chi’s presentation will focus primarily on her figurative works, which she said are mostly based on mythology and biblical stories.
“Most of my works are influenced directly by the Italian Renaissance and also by French Romanticism, that is to say most of my works are narrative based and have strong symbolisms,” she said. “I enjoy ‘telling the stories’ through the visual presentation and in doing so, I can create the sentiments and set the mood I desire for the story.”
In addition to painting, Chi also teaches life drawing and painting at Eastern Illinois University. She has been at EIU since 2002, and previously taught drawing and painting at the University of North Florida.
“One thing I hold dearly to my heart is to teach people how to appreciate figurative art – how to view human body as a symbol of health and beauty. I am working against the popular culture on this endeavor,” Chi said.
“After 17 years of teaching in higher education, I realize, in order to be a good artist, I need to teach; and to be a good teacher, I need to paint,” she said. “Good students inspire and reinforce the ideology and philosophy that I am trying to convey in my own works. In other words, the jobs keep me balanced, and one complements the other.”
Chi received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, and her Master of Fine Arts degree from the School of Figurative Art of the New York Academy of Art.
Her many awards and accolades include the White House Blue Ribbon Christmas Project, the Duval County Artist in Residence, a fellowship from the Cultural Council in Jacksonville, Florida, the Carl Steinsieck Memorial Award for best figure drawing from the St. Augustine Art Association and a grant from the George Sugarman Foundation.
Chi’s works have been exhibited throughout United States and can be found in numerous private collections worldwide.
Learn more about Chi at her website, jennychi.org.
This is the last presentation in the series for Spring 2015, but stay tuned to www.lc.edu/visitingartists for information about future presentations.
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