The Urbana Free Library is pleased to announce that Curtis Chung, Nika Lucks, and Hua Nian have been selected for the What’s Your Story? Artist-in-Residence Program, which will take place over the next several months. Each artist will develop and facilitate workshops for children, teens, adults, and seniors on personal storytelling through visual arts. This program is sponsored in part by a grant from the Urbana Arts and Culture Program.
Curtis Chung will serve as the first Artist-in-Residence at The Urbana Free Library from October to December 2024. An award-winning artist known for his hyper-realistic portraits using graphite and other mediums, Curtis is passionate about sharing the transformative power of art. He is pursuing an M.A. in Art Education from the University of Illinois.
Nika Lucks will serve as an Artist-in-Residence at The Urbana Free Library from January – March 2025. A self-described multi-dimensional artist, Nika is a photo artist, graphic designer, after-school educator, and crafter. With this grant, Nika looks forward to sharing the joy of art and creativity with the wider community.
Hua Nian will serve as an Artist-in-Residence at The Urbana Free Library from April – May 2025. An active exhibiting artist, Hua also teaches art lessons and summer art camps, helping children and adults build their skills. Hua looks forward to helping others enjoy making art as a way of self-discovery at the Library.
The goal of the project is to enrich the lives of artists and program attendees and foster a sense of belonging as they explore the question “What’s Your Story?” through visual arts. Artists will encourage participants to tell personal stories celebrating place, culture, family, and identity. Synergy is anticipated between traditional studio and maker arts, with paint, collage, fabric, mosaic, 3D printing, and vinyl cutting as some options.
Program Dates:
Saturday, October 19, 3 - 4 pm: Children grades k-5
Wednesday, November 13, 3 - 4:30 pm: Teens grades 6-12
Saturday, November 16, 1 - 3 pm: Seniors: acrylic paint
Sunday, December 1, 2 - 3 pm: Adults: mixed-media
For more program dates, visit our full event calendar.