-Bold, ethereal, rich in Romantic melancholy, a nouveau artist with a modern queer sensual twist. These are just a few words to describe Cheatem’s work. Tiélere Cheatem (They/Them), b. 1990, is a daring multifaceted artist whose vibrant and emotionally charged artistry is showcased both on stage and in art galleries across the United States. Cheatem’s artistic career has quickly grown to become a tour de force, leaving a lasting impression across the United States, Canada, and the UK. A St. Louis native, Cheatem was awarded the Ann Metzger Biennial award with the St. Louis Artists’ Guild, Best in Show with the Metro Trans Umbrella Group’s (MTUG) art show, and was picked as one of STL Bucket List’s Top 5 Artist of The Year for 2021. A triple threat on stage; Cheatem’s performance work has been seen in productions such as The Shakespeare Festival St. Louis's “Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Hyppolyta, Helena, Peter Quince), Tesseract Theatre’s “Kinky Boots The Musical” (Lola/Simon), Newline theatre’s “La Cage aux Folles” (Jacob). In 2020 Cheatem partnered with Painted Black STL an organization created to empower black artists within the community. Through this partnership, Cheatem has been able to elevate their work and others within the community. For more of their work follow them on Instagram @theoriginalrutsyartist.
Photo courtesy of Chris Bauer Photography
EXHIBITIONS/GALAS/THEATRE
St. Louis Artists’ Guild: “The Beauty of a Black Man Loving Black Men” solo exhibition, 2024, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
St. Louis Artists’ Guild: “The Ann Metzger Memorial National Biennial Exhibition”: 2023, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Duane Reed Gallery: “Small Works Invitational”: 2023, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
St. Louis Artists Guild: “It Was All Very Queer 2”: 2023, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Missouri S&T Leach Theatre: “Kinky Boots”: 2023, Rolla, MO, Principle Guest Artist
Missouri S&T Leach Theatre: “Broadbend, Arkansas”: 2023, Rolla, MO, Guest Artist/Director
St. Louis Artists Guild: “Beyond Belief”: 2023, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
TechArtista: “Sending Love & Light”: 2023, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Elipsis Studio STL: “Reclaiming Our Time”: 2023, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
HRC STL GALA 2022, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Duane Reed Gallery: “Small Works Invitational”: 2022, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
ArtscopeSTL: “Wall Ball 7”: 2022, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
TechArtista: “Belonging, A Crossriver Exhibition”: 2022, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Koken Art Factory: “Naughti Gras 15”: 2022, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
St. Louis Artists’ Guild: “New Perspectives in Drawing and Painting”: 2022, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Central West End’s: “Art Stroll & StreetEATery”: 2022, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Opera Theatre St. Louis: “All The Colors of The Rainbow”: St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
St. Louis Artists’ Guild: “The Ann Metzger Memorial National Biennial Exhibition”: 2021, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
NovembArt: 2021, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Central West End’s: “Art Stroll & StreetEATery”: 2021, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
St. Louis Artists’ Guild: “It Was All Very Queer” 2021, Featured Artist/Panelist
Metro Trans Umbrella Group: “Transcending The Spectrum Art Show”: 2021, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
La Voûte Fundraiser: 2021, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
COCA: “COCAcabana” 2021, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Wall Ball STL: 2021, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist/Master Class Artist
Shakespeare Festival St. Louis x Painted BLK: “A Walking Xmas Carol” 2020, Featured Artist
Qu’art x CAM: “Black Friday Ball” 2021, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Festival St. Louis x Painted BLK: “A Late Summer Night’s Stroll” 2020, Featured Artist
Art BnB: Resident Artist, 2020-present, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Future Akoma: Black Art Show 2020, Featured Artist St. Louis, MO
Spring Fling Fun, Boudoir, Burlesque, and Pin-Up Show 2020, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
MTUG’s Transcending the Spectrum Art Show: 2018-2020, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Rootbound Gallery, 2018-2019 St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
HRC STL GALA 2019, St. Louis, MO Featured Artist
STL Effort for AIDS: Art of Paws 2018-2021, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
R-S Theatrics: “Fun-Raiser” 2018, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Actor’s Studio: “Predilections” 2019, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
St. Louis Public Library Presents “The Nest” 2019, St. Louis, MO, Art Facilitator
Rebels & Misfits Productions “Macbeth: Come Like Shadows” 2018, St. Louis, MO, Featured Artist
Community Arts Festival Concert 2018, St. Louis, MO, Featured Live Artist
Fly North Music Presents “The Gringo” world Premiere 2018, St. Louis, MO Featured Artist
AWARDS
ST. LOUIS ARTISTS’ GUILD’S ANNE METZGER MEMORIAL BIENNIAL EXHIBIT AWARD RECIPIENT 2023
ST. LOUIS ARTISTS GUILD’S “BEYOND BELIEF”: SECOND PLACE 2023
LOTTIES “BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A COMEDY 2023
ST. LOUIS ARTISTS GUILD’S “NEW PERSPECTIVES IN DRAWING AND PAINTING: HONORABLE MENTION 2022
ANNE METZGER MEMORIAL BIENNIAL EXHIBIT AWARD RECIPIENT 2021
STL BUCKET LIST TOP 5 ARTISTS OF THE YEAR 2021
THEATRE CIRCLE AWARDS “BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL” WINNER 2019
MTUG TRANSCENDING THE SPECTRUM BEST IN SHOW WINNER 2018
PRESS
Talkin Broadway: Review Kinky Boots
River Front Times: Review Kinky Boots is a Feel Good-Dance Worthy Treat
Broadway World: Review Kinky Boots at The Grandel
PopLife STL: Feed Your Fire with Tesseract Theatre’s Celebratory “Kinky Boots”
Town and Style
The Art of Being Queer 2021: The Rusty Artist
St. Louis Style 2021: Virtual Wall Ball Event 2021
Intellifluence 2021: Influencer
Circle of Inspiration Spotlight 2020: Tiélere Cheatem
STL Today 2020: Artists with a Message for Hope
Nine Net 2020: Living St. Louis
Arts For Life 2020: Diversity is No Adversity
STL Today 2020: A Late Summer Night’s Stroll
NYTimes 2020: These Shows Are Made for Walking
Virtual ACAC Inspiring and Inciting Social Change Through Art and Civic Engagement: Panelist
Town and Style: PaintedBlack STL, A Creative Light