Bob Clark Beyond: Impact

latest impact posts

Rashid Johnson’s Exploration of Black Escapism

Rashid Johnson is a New-York based conceptual artist who was born in 1977 in Chicago, Illinois. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Columbia College in Chicago and his Master of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Rashid has had numerous solo exhibitions at prestigious institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. He is known for his mixed-media works, which incorporate a wide range of materials including shea butter, black soap, ceramic tile, and plants. He explores themes of race, identity, and memory through his art, often using cultural symbols and imagery from African American history.

CCDI Celebrates Scholarship Recipients and Graduates

Congratulations to the Construction Career Development Initiative’s (CCDI) 2023 class of Build Our Future Scholarship recipients! Clayco is proud to be one of the many sponsors of CCDI, which connects youth in underserved communities with career opportunities in construction. During the annual Build Our Future Scholarship award ceremony last week, the program awarded its largest class of recipients $170,000 in scholarships and commemorated the first four college graduates who have secured full-time employment! The newest scholars will attend Missouri S&T, Drury, and Prairie View A&M.

CCDI Reaches New Communities and Distributes Scholarships

Clayco’s Construction Career Development Initiative has been helping bridge the inequality gap in workforce development since its inception in the aftermath of the 2015 Ferguson unrest. We have since aimed to foster the next generation of industry and community transformation by giving students the skills and tools for success by assisting with everything from teaching industry basics to securing job placement. Since the organization’s establishment, we have successfully placed 140 students into full-time roles with local companies! The impact of CCDI has been witnessed and felt by underserved demographics and people across the nation, and it is incredible to have expanded our efforts from St. Louis to Chicago and Phoenix! We aim to continue the program’s growth to serve many more locations and people. Our Clayco team has done an excellent job extending our reach to instill our people-centric and inclusive values by creating customized programs that cater to each city’s unique needs.

Transforming the Everyday into Stunning Sculptures with El Anatsui

El Anatsui is a Ghanaian sculptor who has gained international recognition for his ground-breaking work in transforming everyday materials into stunning, monumental sculptures. Born in Anyako, Ghana, in 1944, he studied at the College of Art, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. In 1975, El began teaching at the Fine Arts Department of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. For more than four decades he was Professor of Sculpture and is now Departmental Head. He recently made the 2023 list of Time’s 100 “Most Influential” people, alongside noteworthy actors, politicians, and personalities. El was honored by the Nigerian art historian Chika Okeke-Agulu, who called him “one of the most impactful artists of our time.”

Supporting Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson

Shawn and I love Chicago. We have deep roots and headquarters here, and we are always looking for the next step of innovation to make our communities stronger and safer. We pledge our best effort and goodwill to Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson. The ME won a tough election and has one of the most important jobs in the United States. It’s a well-deserved nomination and offers great potential for the city of Chicago.

Clayco Supports Counterpublic’s Second Civic Exhibition

Being raised in Bridgeton, Missouri, on the outskirts of St. Louis, I have always felt strongly connected to the St. Louis community. Since establishing Clayco, it has been one of our main focuses to give back to the neighborhoods where we operate and ensure that our positive impact extends beyond the walls of our structures and doesn’t end once a project is completed. To continually inspire innovation and bridge the gap between underserved demographics and the resources they require to succeed, our team supports various community-centered initiatives, including Counterpublic. Counterpublic is a civic exhibition that weaves contemporary art into the Life of St. Louis for a three-month display every three years, running this year from April 15 to July 15! The exhibition aims to reimagine civic infrastructures toward generational change with a vision to facilitate conversations on the role of contemporary art and become a beacon of creative thinking and community engagement. Our Clayco team works best with talent that shares a similar philosophy as we pursue “the Art & Science of Building.” This mantra drives our love for art and, like Counterpublic, allows for more inclusive platforms and spaces that expand social, political, and civic horizons.

Impact

The key choices we make in this life

Some of the key choices that we get to make in this life are the things we prioritize, both with our finances and with our energy and efforts.

Over the course of my life, my priorities have shifted immensely, and I now spend a large amount of my time focusing on the work that our foundation is doing, as well as being engaged in impactful community efforts. The majority of the work that we are a part of is aimed at issues directly affecting my family and the Clayco community.