June 1 - 25
Congratulations, Eugene Maison
It is with great honor that we congratulate and share the accomplishments of Eugene Maison (also known as KNyame Maison), artist, Director of Fine Art at Peoria First UMC, and part-time Art instructor at Bradley University. Eugene is Ghanaian American and an accomplished artist in central Illinois. With his extensive experience coordinating art exhibitions, he works with artists to help cultivate their creative gifts. He has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Arts Studies from Bradley University. As an artist, Eugene creates from a fundamental desire to express his feelings through visual designs that employ spiritual impressions and factual symbols of things he is drawn to in his daily encounters and research.
Boundary of Sea and Land
Sky Art Peoria
Eugene’s painting Boundary of Sea and Land is one of four winning artworks selected for the 2023 Sky Art Peoria Program. The works were selected by a jury that included distinguished arts, business, and community leaders. The winning artworks will be on display on billboards throughout the Peoria area. Sky Art Peoria is a program by ArtsPartners of Central Illinois a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to build awareness and strengthen the arts for the economic and cultural enrichment of Central Illinois
Ancestors of Ancient Places
Art of Soul!
Art of Soul! is a juried art show at the Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center. The show depicts many aspects of African American culture and life, which inspired a younger generation who had never been exposed to art by or about African Americans. Artists from across the country were selected for the national juried art exhibition after submitting pieces centered around the theme of “Black Love.” Of the 43 pieces, two of Eugene’s pieces were selected. Ancestors of Ancient Places 1 is water-mixable oil paint and traditional oil paint on canvas. “This artwork illustrates how each person is made up of a long line of ancestors rather than believing we exist in isolation.”
Throne
Art of Soul!
Throne is a sculpture made of butternut and cypress wood, bronze, beads, velvet, and eggshells. “The pride of African Americans is in this: family and community.”
Four Hundred Years
Mayor's Suite
The Public Arts Advisory Commission received a request from Mayor Ali in the summer of 2021 to assist in selecting artwork by Peorians for display in City Hall. Eugene was part of the inaugural art exhibit in 2022. Four Hundred Years; 1619 to 2019 is a year-long quest in search of a connection to the past to prepare for the future. This painting, made from 2018 to 2019 in water-mixable oils and gold leaf on canvas, evokes a multitude of references, creating an atmosphere of mystery. For the next four months, this painting will be exhibited in the lobby of the Maxam building located at 316 SW Washington Street, Peoria. Eugene was again honored in 2023, with the display of Boundary of Sea and Land in the Mayor’s Suite.