‘CONNECTING THE DOTS’ DINNER SERIES

‘Connecting the Dots’ was a networking opportunity for all members to connect via a theme, point of discussion, and dinner reservation. My favorite was alongside trivia champion Taylor Wash and Denise Savas, we hosted a murder mystery masquerade. Theatre artist Denise Savas assisted her creative eye to the decorations and storyline, which took place throughout the building. Other editions included international members, and a picnic by the pool.

DISNEY INSPIRED DRAG AND KARAOKE

Fun fact: Ursula, the evil sea witch from The Little Mermaid, was inspired by the look and personality of Divine. So, we put an adult take on some of your favorite classic Disney characters as Chicago drag performers interpreted some of your favorite childhood memories. Crowd participation came to life after the drag show in the form of Disney theme songs karaoke.

WORK LIFE BALANCE WITH YEHME2

Josh Young of YehMe2 joined us for a conversation about work/ life balance and how mental health plays into touring life, followed by a short guided meditation. After touring with Curt Cameruci as half of Flosstradamus for almost 10 years, in 2016, Young shifted his focus back to the studio to work on a new solo project, YehMe2. He has since signed to Fool’s Gold records and has released several solo mixtapes and EPs informed by his Chicago DJ roots.

SUPER TASTY: A CABERET

Sex educator Karen Yates hosted a special edition of her cabaret-meets–talk show about sex. We hosted an hour of sex nerds, trivia, burlesque, and an expert panel and demo on kinky kitchen pervertables.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE NIKKO WASHINGTON

Nikko Washington is a painter, illustrator and graphic designer. Born and raised in Hyde Park, he is the artistic director for the Chicago hip-hop collective SaveMoney and his art has been featured on Vic Mensa’s artist merchandise and on album covers for Joey Purp, Noname and Towkio. He took over the Music Room and used its walls and floors as a blank canvas, inviting all in for open hours to view his process.

ART CLUB: CANVAS STRETCHING

Chicago artist Alex Bradley Cohen led a workshop on stretching canvas. We learned the art of canvas stretching with Cohen as he shared insights on his career.

REBIRTH GARMENTS: DESIGNING FASHION FOR EVERY BODY

Nonbinary Filipinx designer Sky Cubacub discussed Rebirth Garments, their line of wearables created for the full spectrum of gender, size and ability. We also hosted a performance and listen as Cubacub shared their manifesto of radical visibility: reclaiming bodies through bright colors and highlighting the parts of us that society typically shuns.

WATERCOLORS AND BUBBLES

I hosted an event celebrating international artist and elementary school art teacher Efrén Arcoiris, where a relaxing evening of bubbles and watercolor technique class took place.

TEA WITH TRANSLUNA

Tea with Transluna is an immersive experience featuring photo, film, auditory stimulation and installation art. ASMR, food styling and interactive performance all contributed to the sensory experience. This project began as a collaboration between Daniella De Luna and Berlin-based latex artist Hadas Hinkis in December 2017 and was exhibited at Soho House Chicago. In the installation, guests were invited to indulge in a confectionary wonderland of gelatinous treats, creatures covered in sweets and surfaces decorated from floor to ceiling in icing.

SEX STUFF WITH 
 ZOE LIGON

Hosted Zoë Ligon for a screening of Sex Stuff, her online show about various pleasure aspects of sexuality. Following, Zoë we opened the floor to discuss anything from how to get into sex education to more personal discussions about the nuances of sexuality. Zoë Ligon is a Detroit-based sex educator, journalist and artist who is also the proprietor of progressive online sex toy emporium, Spectrum Boutique, where she has made it her life's work to blast away the stigmas and misinformation that prevent us from having the amazing sex we all deserve. Zoë has a background in social psychology and is currently working towards her AASECT sex education certification.

ART CLUB: OCCULT PHOTOGRAPHY WITH RIK GARRETT

Photographer Rik Garrett invited members to discover the mysterious world of occult photography, a medium long used to capture unseen forces such as auras and spirits. There, you could see unexplained and unnerving images as Rik explored the influence of early photographic apparitions on fine art photography, including many examples, both historical and contemporary, along with his personal work following in this tradition.

DISSECTING THE MAKE-UP LOOK WITH TROYE ANTONIO

We joined the public and celebrity makeup artist Troye Antonio as he shared tips and trick and taught us how to do makeup for different scenarios: day to night, concert and TV using a model on stage. Troye’s clients include Kehlani and Gabrielle Union and he’s also worked on local reality TV shows, like Black Ink.

NAOMI SMALLS: SMALLS WORLD

We partnered with Chicago's very own Davis Heppenstall – also known as RuPaul's Drag Race darling Naomi Smalls – to view two episodes from the webseries Smalls World. After the screening, we held a Q&A with Davis and director/ editor Todd Diederich.