Andrew is a Detroit‑based graffiti and street artist with 25 years of experience. He is a formally trained designer and a CCS graduate with an industrial design background. He has always had a fascination with form, function, and the pursuit of speed.

Courtney has been creating her whole life, focusing on sewing, sculpting, and painting. She’s worked in TV and film and created an award‑winning sculpture for Redbull. In 2022 she became a firefighter, and art has recently become her way to find peace and process the realities of the job. Her work is abstract, textured, whimsical, and organic, usually made without a plan—just going with the flow.

Jai Kalondra is multidisciplinary artist from the SouthSide of Chicago! Motivated by the need for more color and authentic representation in her community. Jai is known for her specialization in portrait art, murals, and body painting where she captures the essence of divine femininity. Through her journey she continues to be a catalyst for positive black representation.

Josie is an ink artist who loves bold lines, bright colors, and capturing life as she sees it. Her work often includes naturalistic elements and draws influence from Chinese ink illustration, Art Nouveau, and 1950s storybooks. She’s driven by the joy of creating pieces that resonate with others and by refining details that evoke deeper emotional experiences.

KayDee is a 24‑year‑old artist from Las Vegas who went to art school to become an animator and instead found a passion for abstract expression and life drawing. She’s drawn to the way the body can shift into organic forms and how those shapes connect to neurographical imagery. Her work reflects the realities of living with bipolar disorder, which she discovered during art school, and how art helps her cope. She aims to use her platform to raise awareness about bipolar disorder and its stigmatization in society.

Kendall has been drawing for as long as he can remember. While studying at Western Michigan University, his work was featured in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. He works as a designer, illustrator, and sculptor, always looking for opportunities to turn ideas into art that evokes emotion.

Maddie loves alla prima and en plein air painting, making this competition a perfect fit for her. She’s an art fanatic—a girl who simply loves to paint and connect with fellow creatives. Specializing in oil painting, Maddie draws inspiration from Impressionism, Baroque, Rococo, and Pre-Raphaelite art, creating portraits, landscapes, and still lifes.

Alexis (aka MADDNESS) is a self‑taught, multi‑medium artist from Chicago. She focuses on painting and digital illustration/graphic design, blending pop surrealism, Afrofuturism, and anime/cartoon influences. Creating has always been part of her life, and she shares her work to connect, inspire, and keep art at the center of her world.

Oksana is an artist from Ukraine who came to the USA after the war and found a new home and space to create. She loves painting portraits, drawn to the light, emotion, and honesty in every face. She’s equally inspired by architecture—old facades, quiet streets, and windows full of untold stories. After a ten‑year break, difficult moments brought her back to painting, where she now finds self‑discovery, joy in simple things, and inspiration in people and nature.

Osei is a Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist who uses murals, paintings, and design to tell stories of culture, community, and resilience. His work blends bold color, symbolism, and portraiture to honor history and identity while inspiring future generations. As both artist and coach, he brings intensity, creativity, and a drive to uplift others into every project.

Seanice is a figurative artist whose work explores the push and pull between pain and pleasure and how each amplifies the other. She has been a professional artist for nearly three years, exhibiting in venues across Chicago and New York. She creates narrative‑driven work, paints murals, and teaches as an art instructor in the Chicagoland area.

Sydney Alyce is a 22‑year‑old self‑taught tattoo artist, raised in Chicago. She’s a fast‑producing artist whose work leans abstract and eye‑catching, creating pieces that reflect her vision and aim to inspire others.