Who We Are

AMINA ROSS

is an undisciplined artist, educator and founder of Beauty Breaks.  Amina works across mediums, shaping spaces that honor darkness and love. Often through language and light in video installations, sculptural work and in their work with people. Amina co-ran F4F, a black and femme centering space in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, IL and was co-lead artist of Teen Creative Agency at the Museum of Contemporary art, Chicago.

Amina's commitment to loving, challenging spaces has manifested in the founding of 3rd Language queer arts collective (2011-2015).  As of late Amina’s commitment to spaces dedicated to creative learning manifests within Beauty Breaks. For more about Amina’s practice please visit aminaross.com

A.J. Mcclenon

A.J. McClenon is a writer, sound artist and performer and interdisciplinary visual artist based in Chicago. A.J. McClenon’s work sets personal narratives alongside empirical data, leveling hierarchies of truth. A.J. works across mediums incorporating aspects of sound, film, video, drawing, animation and collage throughout their work. A.J. holds a Masters in Fine Arts with an emphasis in writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and received a Bachelor of Arts with a minor in creative writing from the University of Maryland College Park. A.J. has performed and shown work throughout the US, at locations like Steppenwolf Theater, The Promontory, Woman Made Gallery, Echo Park Film Center, Chicago Filmmakers, Fine Art Complex 1101 and Longwood Arts Center.