My name is Haman and I am originally from Detroit. People call me HC3. I work full-time as a youth development coach and mentor for UCAN in Chicago, Illinois and volunteer in the inner city teaching art to children and at-risk teens. At the core, I am an artist.

With broad sweeping strokes, my art creates a mystical connection between the known and unknown. I was born with the ability to express myself through visual art. As a child, I watched my grandfathers build and create works from their garages and personal studio spaces. I am the offspring of highly skilled and innovative wood workers and homebuilders. I spent countless hours watching them build and create.

Primarily an introvert, like so many artists, I prefer communicating emotion, non-verbally through my art. My work is the extension of my internal, private world where ego, individuality and awareness fuel my struggle to find meaning in life. My father, a pastor, wisely noted the connection between my internal process and ability to connect with the outside world. During my development as a youth, my father’s sermons provided a source of inspiration and gave me a subject matter for illustrations. Every week I would literally draw the narrative delivered during Sunday services. The connection between art and spiritual communication was directly influenced during Sunday school classes, where felt graphics were used to tell Bible stories. I credit those times with the foundation for my work as a cartoonist and illustrator. I often find words to be inadequate when trying to express an idea, concept or any other recognition of truth and reality.

My style is uniquely my own, blending urban, African American roots and experiences into the depiction of adventure and fantasy. Yet, one can note the influence of artists I hold in high esteem: namely, Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist, Alfonse Mucha and British comic book artist, Simon Bisley. I describe myself as a fine art illustrator with a diverse range of abilities to use multiple mediums to make statements artistically. I create many of my pieces with recycled wood, Plexiglas, canvas and other fabrics. Some are made from wood from demolished historical buildings; old train stations and homes, and are often a part of the works narrative, making them truly one of kind. I am also a graphic designer, and can seamlessly transition into digital art.

The C.A.N. Artist Studios is a community based studio space where residents can take art workshops facilitated by professional artists. We are similar to the Sip & Paint business model which has gained popularity in recent years. We are unique to this model because we do not teach our clients to replicate art but to actually create a unique, one of a kind, work of art that is their own.

As a business designed after the Sip & Paint model, we will host BYOB parties, in addition to providing art instruction to people of all ages. Clients (over 21 years of age at specific BYOB events only) can bring wine or alcoholic beverages and enjoy their workshop with friends, business associates or family in a fun, relaxing environment.

During each workshop we offer, participants use one of many mediums to develop their knowledge of artistic techniques and strategies. The mediums are the heart of the selection options for workshop offerings. For example, you can take an acrylic medium class or an illustration class.

Our mission is to provide an environment where visual art expression is encouraged, developed and cultivated while providing a safe, relaxing environment for self improvement, stress relief, relationship cultivation and recreation.

We currently offer classes to family and friends in our home studio. Our aim is to move beyond this to a unique studio space. We would like to convert a 40 foot shipping container into a state of the art, eccentric, fully functioning art studio. As our business grows, we want to add adjoining containers to created an aesthetically unique and provocative studio space.

From a social impact standpoint, I will hire youth I mentor in my community, to work at the studio to assist during workshops. This will allow them to earn their own wages, as well as learn what it means to be an entrepreneur.

Freight Container Acquisition $3000
Renovations $1000
Admin and legal fees $1000