Rhonda Gray is a mother, award winning visual artist, muralist, lecturer, vocalist and dancer. She is a past resident artist at the Chicago Art Department and recent Illinois Arts Council and DCASE grantee.
Her mixed media artwork is rooted in a passion for natural healing, African diasporic womanhood, and reconciling the complexities of visibility and value. In her work, she is compelled to infuse various vintage and futuristic aesthetics, creating a visual nexus that reflects self-perception, sacred space, and multifaceted healing while deconstructing the dominant narrative.
Her art has been exhibited in galleries and museums nationally and can be found in collections globally. In 2024, her work was featured in the Venice Biennale Exhibition in Venice, Italy. In 2018, her paintings and writings were published in the academic book, Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls. Her work can be seen in the featured film “Southside With You” which chronicles Barack and Michelle Obama’s first date.
Gray collaborates with organizations, schools, universities, corporations, authors, film makers on special projects that drive creative transformation and innovation. She has led several mural, mosaic, and sculptural projects throughout the Chicagoland area. In 2014, she assisted legendary muralist and renaissance man, Dr. Siddha Webber, on the restoration of the “Have a Dream” mural located on 39th and King Drive in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood.
She is adjunct professor of history and painting at Roosevelt University and National Louis University. She has worked as a Teaching Artist for Columbia College and Changing Worlds, teaching master classes. Rhonda has served as Lead Artist for the Black Chicago Museum and South Merrill Community Garden.
Rhonda began painting after graduating from the University of Northern Iowa in 2002 with a Bachelors degree in History Education and later earned a Masters degree in History from Chicago State University.
Her residency at the Chicago Art Department been partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
Her mixed media artwork is rooted in a passion for natural healing, African diasporic womanhood, and reconciling the complexities of visibility and value. In her work, she is compelled to infuse various vintage and futuristic aesthetics, creating a visual nexus that reflects self-perception, sacred space, and multifaceted healing while deconstructing the dominant narrative.
Her art has been exhibited in galleries and museums nationally and can be found in collections globally. In 2024, her work was featured in the Venice Biennale Exhibition in Venice, Italy. In 2018, her paintings and writings were published in the academic book, Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls. Her work can be seen in the featured film “Southside With You” which chronicles Barack and Michelle Obama’s first date.
Gray collaborates with organizations, schools, universities, corporations, authors, film makers on special projects that drive creative transformation and innovation. She has led several mural, mosaic, and sculptural projects throughout the Chicagoland area. In 2014, she assisted legendary muralist and renaissance man, Dr. Siddha Webber, on the restoration of the “Have a Dream” mural located on 39th and King Drive in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood.
She is adjunct professor of history and painting at Roosevelt University and National Louis University. She has worked as a Teaching Artist for Columbia College and Changing Worlds, teaching master classes. Rhonda has served as Lead Artist for the Black Chicago Museum and South Merrill Community Garden.
Rhonda began painting after graduating from the University of Northern Iowa in 2002 with a Bachelors degree in History Education and later earned a Masters degree in History from Chicago State University.
Her residency at the Chicago Art Department been partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.
EXHIBITIONS
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY JURIED ART EXHIBITION
GROUP SHOW, CHICAGO, 2021
SOLO EXHIBITION, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO ART GALLERY
CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY, CALABAR GALLERY
GROUP SHOW, NEW YORK
ICONIC: BLACK PANTHER ART EXHIBIT, STONY ISLAND ARTS BANK
GROUP SHOW, CHICAGO, IL
COMMON BONDS, DUSABLE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
GROUP SHOW, CHICAGO, IL
Solo Exhibitions
- Solo Exhibition, University of Illinois at Chicago, University Gallery, Chicago, IL
- Solo Exhibition, ETA Theater, Chicago, IL
- Solo Exhibition, Greenbelt Cultural Center, Waukegan, IL
Exhibitions and Juried Shows
- Group Exhibition, "Black Creativity," Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL
- Group Exhibition, Altar Call, Rootwork Gallery, Chicago, IL
- Group Exhibition, ICONIC: Black Panther Art Exhibit, Stony Island Arts Bank, Chicago, IL
- Group Exhibition, “Contemporary African Spirituality,” Calabar Gallery, New York City, NY
¨ Group Exhibition, “Common Bonds,” DuSable Museum, Chicago, IL
¨ Group Exhibition, “Rising Stars,” DuSable Museum, Chicago, IL
¨ Group Exhibition, “Guardian Angels,” Griffin Gallery, Chicago, IL
¨ Group Exhibition, “Art-I-Gras,” Gallery Guichard, Chicago, IL
¨ Group Art Show, National Black Fine Art Show, New York City, New York
¨ Group Art Show, “Gallery D’Estee,” Chicago, IL
¨ Group Exhibition, William Grant Art Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Juried Exhibition, 22nd Annual Gospel Festival Art Fair, Millennium Park, Chicago, IL
¨ Juried Exhibition, Arts Experience, American Society of Artists, Chicago, IL
¨ Juried Exhibition, Art Renaissance, Neleh Artistic Expressions Art Gallery, Chicago, IL
¨ Juried Exhibition, 31st Annual Arts and Crafts Festival, DuSable Museum, Chicago, IL
¨ Juried Arts Festival, African World Festival, Milwaukee, WI
¨ Juried Exhibition, African American Fine Arts Show, Chicago, IL
¨ Juried Exhibition, 30th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival- special honor- the featured artist, Grant Park, Chicago
¨ Juried Exhibition, 21st Annual Evanston Ethnic Arts Festival, Evanston, IL
¨ Juried Exhibition, African Festival of the Arts, Washington Park, Chicago, IL
¨ National Art Competition and Gallery Exhibit, Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series- semifinalist
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY JURIED ART EXHIBITION
GROUP SHOW, CHICAGO, 2021
SOLO EXHIBITION, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO ART GALLERY
CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY, CALABAR GALLERY
GROUP SHOW, NEW YORK
ICONIC: BLACK PANTHER ART EXHIBIT, STONY ISLAND ARTS BANK
GROUP SHOW, CHICAGO, IL
COMMON BONDS, DUSABLE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
GROUP SHOW, CHICAGO, IL
Solo Exhibitions
- Solo Exhibition, University of Illinois at Chicago, University Gallery, Chicago, IL
- Solo Exhibition, ETA Theater, Chicago, IL
- Solo Exhibition, Greenbelt Cultural Center, Waukegan, IL
Exhibitions and Juried Shows
- Group Exhibition, "Black Creativity," Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL
- Group Exhibition, Altar Call, Rootwork Gallery, Chicago, IL
- Group Exhibition, ICONIC: Black Panther Art Exhibit, Stony Island Arts Bank, Chicago, IL
- Group Exhibition, “Contemporary African Spirituality,” Calabar Gallery, New York City, NY
¨ Group Exhibition, “Common Bonds,” DuSable Museum, Chicago, IL
¨ Group Exhibition, “Rising Stars,” DuSable Museum, Chicago, IL
¨ Group Exhibition, “Guardian Angels,” Griffin Gallery, Chicago, IL
¨ Group Exhibition, “Art-I-Gras,” Gallery Guichard, Chicago, IL
¨ Group Art Show, National Black Fine Art Show, New York City, New York
¨ Group Art Show, “Gallery D’Estee,” Chicago, IL
¨ Group Exhibition, William Grant Art Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Juried Exhibition, 22nd Annual Gospel Festival Art Fair, Millennium Park, Chicago, IL
¨ Juried Exhibition, Arts Experience, American Society of Artists, Chicago, IL
¨ Juried Exhibition, Art Renaissance, Neleh Artistic Expressions Art Gallery, Chicago, IL
¨ Juried Exhibition, 31st Annual Arts and Crafts Festival, DuSable Museum, Chicago, IL
¨ Juried Arts Festival, African World Festival, Milwaukee, WI
¨ Juried Exhibition, African American Fine Arts Show, Chicago, IL
¨ Juried Exhibition, 30th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival- special honor- the featured artist, Grant Park, Chicago
¨ Juried Exhibition, 21st Annual Evanston Ethnic Arts Festival, Evanston, IL
¨ Juried Exhibition, African Festival of the Arts, Washington Park, Chicago, IL
¨ National Art Competition and Gallery Exhibit, Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series- semifinalist