About THE ARTIST
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My Artistic Journey
John Edmond Towns. is a visual artist living in Chicago. He has always been passionate about painting and drawing, but particularly drawing. Nothing can beat the speed and immediacy of this art form. Much of his creative time is divided among his art, teaching art (among other courses), research writing, and lecturing. He has several academic degrees- and not all of them are in art. He wrote a book entitled: "The Aesthetics of Transformation..." where he explored the African-American development of the Chicago Community Movement. Also, for several years, along with his two brothers, he was the leader of a performing arts group in Chicago known as "Sketch N' Tyme." His journey as an artist has been varied and reflects his dedication in exploring this thing we call "visual art" -indeed- a creative life."
Explore SOME OF my artistic creations
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Curriculum vitae
ART EXHIBITIONS
The Swope Art Museum & Indiana State University: 81st Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition. Terra Haute, IN. Aug, 2025
The Philadelphia Sketch Club, Absolutely Abstract, Philadelphia, PA. July, 2025
The Woodshop Gallery, Chicago,Il. 2025
The Logan Center for the Arts, the University of Chicago, June, 2017
Ray School (CPS) “The Unspeakable Journey” A Sketch N’ Tyme Performance. Chicago Feb, 2017.
Filament Theatre, The Guild Literacy Complex Benefit: A Sketch N’ Tyme Performance, June, 2016. Chicago, IL.
Chicago Cultural Center, “4th Annual Gwendolyn Brooks day Celebration.” A Sketch N’ Tyme Performance. June, 2016
Museum of Contemporary Art, “Where Margins Meet” A Sketch N’ Tyme Performance, May, 2016. Chicago, IL.
Logan Center for the Arts, 3rd Annual Gwendolyn Brooks Day Celebration. University
of Chicago. A Sketch N’ Tyme Performance Jun, 2015
Bronzeville Children Museum, A Sketch N’ Tyme featured performance. April, 2015
Joel Hall Dance Company “Many Rivers to Cross” A Sketch N’ Tyme performance along with Dancers. Feb, 2015
Black Ensemble Theatre Cultural Center, “2ndAnnual African American Arts Alliance King Day Celebration,” A Sketch N’ Tyme Performance, Chicago, IL Jan, 2013, 2014, 2015
Dusable Museum of African American History, “4th Annual Chicago Read-in” Sketch N’ Tyme Art Performance Chicago, IL. 2012.
McCormick Place Exposition Center. Black Woman's Expo. July, 2011
Chicago State University. WVON 1690’s Pre-Kwanza Fest”, Sketch N’ Tyme Art Performance. Chicago, IL. 2011
Dusable Museum of African American History, “4th Annual Chicago Read-in” Sketch N’ Tyme Art Performance Chicago, IL. 2011
Dusable Museum of African American History, “3rd Annual Chicago Read-in” Sketch N’ Tyme Art Performance Chicago, IL. 2010
“Kennedy-King College Annual Chicago Read-in” Sketch N Tyme Art Performance. Chicago, IL. 2009; “
Kiwanis Club Art Exhibition,” Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, Chicago, IL May, 2007
Metal Works Gallery. “Playing the Race Card” Chicago, Illinois. April-May, 2006
Bloomingdale Park District Museum. “Strictly Drawing” Bloomingdale, IL. Sept-Oct, 2005
Southside Community Art Center. Chicago, Illinois. 2002
Sixth Grace Presbyterian Church. “Ancestral Legacy Award Exhibition.” Chicago, IL. Feb. 2000
South Side Community Art Center, Chicago, IL 1998
Olive-Harvey College. Faculty Exhibition. Chicago, IL. 1997
School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Traveling Alumni Exhibition. “The Miniature Show.” Chicago, IL. 1997
Gallery 2. School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL 1996
Southside Community Art Center. “Passing the Baton”Chicago, Illinois. 1995
Museum of Science and Industry. “Black Creativity” Chicago, IL. 1994
Oak Park High School. “Celebrating Cultural Diversity"II Oak Park, IL. 1994
Olive-Harvey College. “Faces- A One-Man Exhibition.” Chicago, IL. 1993
South Shore Bank. “FAC from SAIC” Chicago, IL. 1993
Oak Park High School. “Celebrating Cultural Diversity" I. Oak Park, IL. 1993
Museum of Science and Industry. “Black Creativity” Chicago, IL. 1993
Beverly Art Center, 15th “Arthur Baer Art Competition,” Chicago, IL. 1992
Turner Fine Art Center. “Salon Exhibition”Chicago, IL. 1991
Beverly Art Center, 13th “Arthur Baer Art Competition”. Chicago, IL. 1990
Evansville Museum of Art. “6th Annual Works on Paper”. Evansville, Indiana 1989
Elgin Community College. “6th Annual Works on Paper Show,” Elgin, IL. 1989
Southside Community Art Center, “Kwanza Exhibition”Chicago, IL. 1988
Museum of Anthropology of the People of New York. “Anthropology in Art” Queens, New York. 1987
Museum of Science and Industry. “Black Creativity” Chicago, IL. 1987
Beverly Art Center. 10th annual “Arthur Baer Art Competition”. Chicago, IL. 1987
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art. “Creative and Performing Arts Award” Ithaca, New York 1984
Christopher Art Gallery. “Faculty Exhibition” Prairie State College 1983
Southside Community Art Center, “Realist Perspective” Chicago, IL. 1983
Museum of African American Life and Culture.“6th. Annual Southwest Black Art Exhibition.” Dallas, Texas. 1982
Sibley Dome Gallery. Cornell University. 1981
Rochester Memorial Art Gallery, “Finger Lakes Exhibition” Rochester, New York 1981
Tjaden Hall Gallery. “Cornell Masters” Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 1980
Sibley Dome Gallery. Group Exhibition. Cornell University. Ithaca, New York 1979
Museum of Science and Industry. “Black Esthetics” Chicago, IL. 1979
Gallery 220. “Black Artists in Illinois. Chicago, IL. 1978
The Isham YMCA, “Figures and Landscapes.” Chicago, IL. 1978
Aurora University, SAIC Group Exhibition. Aurora, IL. 1977
Museum of Science and Industry. “Black Esthetics” Chicago, IL. 1977
Kennedy-King College. “Bicentennial Exhibition” Chicago, IL. 1976
Dusable Museum of African-American History. “Promenade” Chicago, IL. 1976
Museum of Science and Industry. “Black Esthetics” Chicago, IL. 1975
Kennedy-King College. Chicago, IL. 1974,
Malcolm X College, “Citywide Art Exhibition.” Chicago, IL. 1974
AWARD/GRANTS
African-American Arts Alliance of Illinois. Special Recognition Award for Sketch N’ Tyme. 2014
Co-Recipient of OHC Student Retention Grant. Towns, J. E., Taylor, K, Traylor, Z. Olive-Harvey College. Chicago, IL. Spring, 2007
Demonstrated Mastery of the Development of Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment Techniques. Chicago City College of Chicago. 2007
Teacher Appreciation Certificate for Contributions to Adult Education Program. Olive-Harvey College. 2005.
Teacher of the Year Award, South Chicago Chamber of Commerce. Chicago. IL. 2004-2005.
Distinguished Adult Educator Award, Olive-Harvey College. Community College District 508. 2003-2004,
Academic Achievement Award. Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church. Chicago IL. 2002.
Ancestral Legacy Award. For Contributions in Art and Education. Sixth Grace Presbyterian Church, Chicago. 2000
Preferred Professor of the Year Award Nominee, Olive-Harvey College. Chicago. 1996-1997
Grand Award. Black Creativity Exhibition. Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. 1994
Honorable Mention in Drawing. Museum of Anthropology of the People of New York. Queens, New York 1988.
Community Arts Assistance Grant, Chicago Council on Fine Arts, Chicago 1988
Neighborhood Arts Projects Grant. Chicago Council on Fine Arts 1986
Illinois Arts Council Award Grant 1984
Chicago Council on Fine Arts Project Completion Grant, 1984
Creative and Performing Arts Award. Cornell University, Ithaca 1980
Independent Research Grant. Cornell University Summer Fellowship, Ithaca 1980
Graduate Fellow Cornell University, Fine Arts, Ithaca, New York 1979-1981
Research Grant- African-American Exchange Program. Approved to study sculpture of the West African Mali region. Chicago, IL. 1978
First Place, Chicago City-Wide Art Competition. Sponsored by Xi Lambda, Model Cities, and Container Corporation. 1974
TEACHING POSITIONS
1985-Present, City Colleges of Chicago, Adjunct Professor of Art, Humanities, and Education
2005-2007. Adjunct Professor- Education. Chicago State University. Chicago, IL.
1989-1999. Visiting Artist/Adjunct Assistant Professor School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
1984–1985. Art Instructor. Albert Einstein Public School (a CPS school), Chicago, IL
1983-1985, The historic Southside Community Art Center, Chicago. IL
1982-1983. Art Instructor. Prairie State College, Chicago Heights, IL.
1979-1981. Graduate TA Fine Arts. Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
BOOKS, PUBLICATIONS, CITATIONS
Who’s Who in America. American Education, 2013- currently
Walls of Prophecy & Protest. Jeff W. Huebner, Northwestern University Press. Evanston, IL 2019 (citation).
Get It Twisted: Making Balloon Sculptures for Fun, Education, and Profit (but mostly for fun). Robert Elliot Towns and John Edmond Towns. Chicago, IL. 2018
The Wall of Respect. Edited by Akalimat, Crawford, and Zorach. Northwestern University Press. Evanston, IL. 2017 (citation).
“Tales From the Small and the Exotic: Fables and Legends from Twenty-Five Tiny Independent Nations” Tellatale Publishing Chicago, IL., 2010. (John Edmond Towns author)
Aesthetics of Transformation: The African-American Experience of the Chicago Community Mural Movement, 1967-1970. John Edmond Towns. 2002, Dekalb, IL (Author).
EDUCATION
2002 Ed.D.,Adult Education. Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL. Dissertation: Aesthetics of Transformation: The African-American Experience of the Chicago Community Mural Movement, 1967-1970
2016 M.A., General Psychology. Minor concentration: Learning Behavior and Cognitive Development. University of the Rockies, Denver, CO.
1989 MS.ED., Adult Education & Curriculum, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL.
1981 M.F.A., Painting, Drawing & Art Criticism, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
1979 B.F.A., Painting, Drawing & Art History, School of the Art Institute of Chicago,
ADDITIONAL PUBLICITY & BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Hyde Park Herald, Front page in the section entitled “Black History at Ray,” featuring Sketch N’ Tyme. Volume 135 • Issue 8, Chicago, Ill. Feb, 22, 1017.
The Herald Extra Community News. Front page in the section entitled: As Seen in the Evening Post” and “Black History at Ray” featuring Sketch N’ Tyme. Wed. Feb. 22, 2017.
CBS News Segment: "Someone You Should Know". The Towns Brothers & Sketch N' Tyme. Hosted by Harry Porterfield, May, 2015.
The Red Eye Newspaper. Chicago, 2014
The Chicago Defender Newspaper: “Engage Entertainment” supplemental insert (back page). Vol CVII- No. 43 February 20 -26, 2013.
Photograph: Great Day in Bronzeville,” by Photographer John Moye. John Edmond Towns is one of the many featured artist photographed in this iconic photo of Chicago’s Black Artists. May, 2008.
Chicago Daily Defender, “Artists Honored by Black Creativity” P. 6, Jan 29, 1994
Exploring the World of John Edmond Towns
Contact Us
johntownsart@gmail.com
Chicago, Illinois
John Edmond Towns Art and Information
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