CHICAGO- Kappa Chapter brings the flow of spoken word and the brush with their Open Mic Night Event
Kappa Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi, the professional fraternity for artists, presented a virtual open mic night hosted by Sisters Venise Keys and Dionne Victoria, with a spotlight on the work of Chicago native traditional artist, Marcus Alleyne.
Marcus Alleyne is a Chicago artist, with a passion for visual art. An artist influenced by music, nature, Black culture, spiritualism and more, with a broad variety of styles and artistic know how. His mediums vary from the specific projects he works in but he displays a mastery of multiple, such as clay, paint and watercolor. His creative process, birthed from a sense of urgency on his projects, leads to works, at points look as if they were made by different artists. Throughout his career his work has been featured in the South Side Community Art Center and the Black Hammer Organization, as well as several places in his home of Chicago.
The event featured other speakers from the audience, of all ages, focuses and backgrounds bringing their work to the forefront, with our hosts bringing the fire to help light the way. Among the speakers were one of our newest members, Gamma Leslie Cunningham, one of our past GXP President, Sister Sharnell Bryan, and, a special treat, one of Sister Venise’s students, Ms. Camari Bains. While many gave their all, showing us passed works and sneak peaks of works in progress, Marcus Alleyne, was at work painting a beautiful freeform portrait in the background. At the end, we were enamored by his finished piece as well as the stories and poetry we heard throughout the night.
It was a time of celebration and creation with members, friends, and newcomers alike. We hope to see you again in the atmosphere abound with poetry, literature, and comedy.
Open Mic Night is a Wellness Event and part of Gamma Xi Phi’s I SWEAR National Program, which focuses on Service, Wellness, Edification, Advocacy and Recognition.
Gamma Xi Phi was established in 2010 at Ramapo College to provide a fraternal outlet for students engaged in the arts. Today it maintains a presence of working artists from Vancouver, British Columbia, to the northeastern and southern regions of the United States.
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