Start at the lovely Queen Charlotte
Location: 307 Lincoln Street
Title: "Wake the Queen"
Artist: Sam Guzzie
Date: 2017
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @samguzzie
Story: Meet Queen Charlotte, the city of Charlotte’s namesake. Princess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in Germany married England’s King George III at the age of 17. Known as Queen Charlotte, she served as the Queen of Great Britain from her wedding in 1761 until her death in 1818. There are two other important portraits of Queen Charlotte in the city which serve as inspiration for this mural by Sam Guzzie. In the Mint Museum Randolph, a coronation portrait of the queen is a must see. A more contemporary perspective of her highness, complete with social commentary, is on display at the Mint Museum Uptown.
Key Formal Elements:
- Secondary colors of green and orange
- Notice the highlights on the tip of her nose, chin and cheekbones
Make the Connection:
Artist Sam Guzzie creates a connection between this mural and the two other Queen Charlotte artworks. In a formal pose similar to the Mint Randolph version, the artist features some of the beautiful textures of the Queen’s coronation dress. The musical notes on her bodice are a nod to the queen as a patron of the arts. Queen Charlotte was also known as the “botanist queen,” signified by the flowers and greenery creeping up over the bottom of her dress. In her hair and in her hands are birds of paradise flowers similar to the contemporary piece at the Mint Uptown. An exotic, tropical flower, birds of paradise originated from the African continent. The artist says, “my goal was to capture a bit of that history and get people researching the real Queen Charlotte.” Perhaps her piece is a comment on recent research that alludes to Queen Charlotte’s African ancestry.
Peek around the corner
Title: “Swift PMP Drifting”
Location: 307 Lincoln Street
Artist: Kiana Mui
Date: 2021
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @kmuiii
Story: This mural is sponsored by Brand the Moth and their META Mural Artists Residency Program. Brand the Moth is a non-profit organization creating community based public art projects and supporting emerging artists with the META residency opportunity. Mui was part of the 2021 META program.
Key Formal Elements:
- Bold use of outline
- Implied motion of the S-curve in the cars
Make the Connection:
I learned something new with this one. Drifting. Drifting is a driving technique where a driver looses traction on purpose to slide through a turn sideways. It is a part of contemporary car culture and here the artist celebrates something unique to her and Charlotte. Her character, KMUIII, rides along in the car releasing her inner demons and proudly and confidently drives the car during this difficult and much practiced maneuver. Don’t try that at home…
Walk into the Riva Finoli Passage
Location: 307 Lincoln Street in the Riva Finoli Passage
Artist: Lo’Vonia Parks
Date: 2019
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @lovoniaparks
Story: This mural is sponsored by Brand the Moth and their META Mural Artists Residency Program. Brand the Moth is a non-profit organization creating community based public art projects and supporting emerging artists with the META residency opportunity. Lo’Vonia Parks is an artist from their inaugural residency program. Parks is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art & Design and makes the transition from a caricature and illustration career into her first mural.
Key Formal Elements:
- Strong use of contour line and outline in the face
- Implied line of the light bulb and his line of sight
Make the Connection:
Meet Thomas Edison. The artist portrays Edison who came to Charlotte in 1890 after the discovery of gold. It was thought that gold may be mined through the use of electricity. While Edison did not end up using his invention for gold mining, he did work with the developers of Dilworth to create Charlotte’s first electric streetcar. What symbols of the streetcar can you find in the mural? What symbols tell of the connection to gold mining?
Next mural in the Passage
Location: 307 Lincoln Street in the alley
Title: "People the River"
Artist: Miouxnie Rane West
Date: 2018
Media: Acrylic paint on panel
Artist Info: @miouxnie
Story: There are six murals planned for this passageway; and the first completed one is second on the right wall if you enter from Lincoln Street. This mural was completed with a grant from the South End Creative Lab, a creative micro-grant program sponsored by Historic South End.
Key Formal Elements:
- Abstract
- Polychromatic color scheme
Make the Connection:
Artist Miouxnie Rane West draws upon the earliest history of this geographical area. Before there were gold mines and farmers battling the British during the American Revolution, Catawba Indians lived on this land. The artist makes several references to the Native American culture in her painting. Can you locate the dream catcher? Find the eyes of the profile of a figure complete with a colorful headdress. History will continue to be told through art in the future murals planned for these spaces.
Next mural in the Passage
Location: 307 Lincoln Street in the Riva Finoli Passage
Artist: Franklin Kearnes
Date: 2019
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @fk.creative
Story: This mural is sponsored by Brand the Moth and their META Mural Artists Residency Program. Brand the Moth is a non-profit organization creating community based public art projects and supporting emerging artists with the META residency opportunity. Franklin Kearnes is an artist from their inaugural residency program. Kearnes explores mark making in his abstract studio work and continues his trademark symbols here in his first mural.
Key Formal Elements:
- Strong use of outline
- Repetition of figures creates rhythm
Make the Connection:
The quote “Chance has never yet satisfied the hope of a suffering people.” is by Marcus Garvey. Garvey was a civil rights leader and political activist for Black Nationalism. Artists often use their art as a call to action. Reading the quote and considering the image of three faceless people of color struggling under the weight of a large gold nugget, what do you think the message of the artwork is?
Turn right into alley, look to the right
Location: 332 W. Bland Street on alley wall of Walker Zanger
Artist: Mustafah Green
Date: 2020
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @notmustafah
Story: This mural is sponsored by Brand the Moth and their META Mural Artists Residency Program. Brand the Moth is a non-profit organization creating community-based public art projects and supporting emerging artists with the META residency opportunity. Mustafah Green is a multi-media artist living in Charlotte and is from the second META residency program in 2020.
Key Formal Elements:
- Symmetrical balance
- Focal point of the triangle in the circle
Make the Connection:
As an artist Green is very interested in spirituality, connections, and our place in the cosmos. In this mural, consider the roots of the large tree and how perhaps this imagery connects us to our ancestors. The spreading tree and the triangle at the center of the intersecting lines points to the cosmic connections in our universe. Symbols of the seven sacred chakras are represented in the half circle and the triangle is a symbol and connection to the ancient Egyptians. What symbols would you use to communicate your history?
PRO TIP: Catch the mural in the afternoon sun when the gold paint really glitters.
Walk toward Church Street, look right
Title: “Stronger Together”
Location: Bland Street
Artist: Georgie Nakima
Date: 2020
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @gardenofjourney
Story: Charlotte Center City Partners commissioned artist Georgia Nakima to paint a mural on this prominent corner in South End. Nakima has murals on the East Side and West End, but this is her first mural in South End. She also completed one of the letters in the Black Lives Matter mural uptown.
Key Formal Elements:
- Balanced use of warm colors of oranges and cool colors of blues
- Geometric shapes
Make the Connection:
Nakima is inspired by traditional African patterns and textiles and she often creates fierce, strong women figures. The two figures seek out your gaze and gaze back intently. This mural is part of the South End Interactive project where you can interact with the mural using augmented reality. Click the link below and watch a video of the artist talking about her work, play with a face filter that will make you become the figure in the mural, and get closer to the work with a 3-D model of one of the patterns in the work. Use your phone's selfie mode for the face filter.
Walk one block along Bland St toward Winnifred
Title: "Heidi"
Location: 122 W. Bland Street
Artist: Doris Kapner
Date: 2021
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @doriskapner
Story: This mural is sponsored by Brand the Moth and their META Mural Artists Residency Program. Brand the Moth is a non-profit organization creating community based public art projects and supporting emerging artists with the META residency opportunity. Doris Kapner is a sculptor, painter, ceramic artist, and new mural artist. Kapner was part of the 2021 META program.
Key Formal Elements:
- Outline and contour lines in the blue organic patterns
- Trompe l’oeil (fool the eye) painting around the windows
Make the Connection:
Artist Doris Kapner pays homage to her German and Bavarian heritage with goats, Heidi, and trompe l’oeil painting. Goats are reminiscent of the bucolic landscape of fairy tales, but also bring a contemporary connection to climate change. As a symbol of optimism and gratitude, Heidi anchors the left side of the mural while the blue patterns of the iconic German Meissen Onion china pattern flow across the mural.
Fun fact: Queen Charlotte (City of Charlotte namesake) was an avid china collector.
Head to Summit Ave, walk right
Title: "Color Me Happy"
Location: 300 W. Summit Avenue
Artist: Caroline Simas
Date: 2021
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @carolinesimas
Story: This mural was painted by artist Caroline Simas and commissioned by developer Foundry Commercial. Local artist Simas juggles a lot of hats including teacher, licensed artist, muralist, creative business coach, business owner, wife, and mother. Her studio in the Dilworth Artisan Station in South End is full of color and energy as she brings joy to others through all of her endeavors.
Key Formal Elements:
- Polychromatic color scheme
- Lots of variety with the shapes, colors, details
Make the Connection:
This bright spot of sidewalk color invites you to come and stay for a while. The color is the perfect antidote to the hard edge of glass and steel in the building almost acting as a front porch of sorts or gathering place for conversation and greeting. Make a point to look at all of the shapes and see if you can find the heart-shaped one!
Make sure you use the tag #colormehappyclt and post your selfies!
Walk to Mint, cross to 1501 S. Mint Street
Location: 1501 South Mint Street
Artist: Southern Tiger Collective
Date: 2020
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @southerntigercollective
Story: Southern Tiger Collective is a group of muralists, fine artists, and street artists creating unique exhibits and installations. The group is an active part of the arts community here in Charlotte.
Key Formal Elements:
- Highlights on the faces
- Visual texture of the wings
Make the Connection:
The owners of the 1501 South Mint bar wanted a mural to honor and celebrate the legacy of Kobe Bryant who died tragically along with his daughter and others in a helicopter accident in 2020. The artists use only the colors of the Los Angeles Lakers – purple, gold, black and white – with the flesh tones to commemorate a beloved sports figure.
Around the back of the building
Location: 1501 S. Mint Street
Title: "Wilmore Gold Mine"
Artist: Tim Parati
Date: 2018
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @timparati
Story: Artist Tim Parati creates two fun murals on the exterior walls of the former Max & Lola Bodega. Both reference the mining history of the Gold District. In 1799, gold was discovered in this area. By the 1830s, the Rudisill Gold Mine was operated by an Italian Count. At its peak in 1891, the Gold Rush in Charlotte included over 60 operating mines and over $2.6 million in mined gold.
Key Formal Elements:
- Linear perspective of the train tracks
- Notice the change in scale of the supports which reinforces the vanishing point
Make the Connection:
Imagine working in the mines. The artist uses strong linear perspective to create the sense of descending down, way down into the tunnels where the gold was found. It is said that there are still tunnels running underneath the streets of the Gold District. To the left of the primary mural is a playful mural with dogs in the mining car.
"Worth the Walk" continue on Mint to W. Park
Location: Intersection of S. Mint Street at W. Park Avenue
Artist: Darion Fleming
Date: 2019
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @da.flemingo
Story: This project is a partnership between the City of Charlotte and Centralina Council of Governments for the OpenStreets704 biking celebration in Fall 2019. During the OpenStreets704 festival, the artist and members of the community painted this traffic calming street art. Darion Fleming is a local, talented artist who got his start designing cans of beer for local breweries. He quickly moved to a much larger scale designing walls for Catawba Brewery and Divine Barrel. He has two major murals on the Plaza-Midwood ArtWalk. Here a fish makes an appearance but on the street.
Key Formal Elements:
- Outline used consistently
- Cool colors of the water and warm colors of the body of the fish
Make the Connection:
Traffic calming art? Yes, traffic calming art got its start in Portland, Oregon in the 1990s. The idea is that colorful street art will get driver’s attention, cause a momentary pause, and alert the driver to the area around them. Do you have an idea for traffic calming in your neighborhood? Great, the City of Charlotte has a “Paint the Pavement” program and you can apply through the Charlotte Placemaking Hub on the city’s website. What about the giant fish in a turning radius makes you want to slow down the car?
On side of Pasta & Provisions
Location: 1600 S. Mint Street
Artist: George Howard
Date: 2014
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @thephogsolo
Story: A large, growling panther is featured above “Charlotte” written out in a swirling cursive style that suggests graffiti. This mural is located on the side wall of the Pasta & Provisions store in a historic one-story Wilmore shopfront. Easy to see from the street, the mural makes a great welcome as you head into uptown Charlotte and the Panthers stadium.
Key Formal Elements:
- Outline is used to form the letters in “Charlotte”
- Color scheme of mainly cool colors
Make the Connection:
The mural was commissioned by the artist’s brother, who bought a house nearby and thought the blank wall was unappealing. If you walked the extra block down to this artwork location, then you likely passed several blank walls along your way. Imagine what could be on those walls if business owners and neighbors commissioned more art! On your walk back, come up with a scheme for each one.
Walk back on Mint to 1430 Mint St
Location: 1430 S. Mint Street
Artist: Dari Calamari
Date: 2019
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @daricalamari
Story: This mural is sponsored by Brand the Moth and their META Mural Artists Residency Program. Brand the Moth is a non-profit organization creating community based public art projects and supporting emerging artists with the META residency opportunity. Dari Calamari is an artist from their inaugural residency program. Calimari maintains a strong artistic practice based in abstract exploration of line, color, and shape and this is her first mural.
Key Formal Elements:
- Organic shapes
- Patterns
Make the Connection:
Through the use of visual puzzles, blobs, portals and patterns, Calimari gives the viewer an abstract visual feast of colors and shapes. You are invited to this visual delight to take the time to let your eyes tell you what this means.
Walk to Penman St, turn left, left on Graham
Location: 1200 S. Graham Street
Title: "The Muse"
Artist: Sam Guzzie
Date: 2019
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @samguzzie
Story: Sam Guzzie is a local artist and founder of Brand the Moth, a non-profit organization creating community-based public art projects and supporting emerging artists with the META residency opportunity. This is her second mural in the Gold District.
Key Formal Elements:
- Asymmetrical balance
- Loose and flowing lines
Make the Connection:
The name of the former brewery at this site, Sunstead, is old English for Solstice. In this mural, the Muse, or the inspiration for an idea delights the viewer with her beauty and dancing.
What does your muse your like?
Back to Mint St, walk one block to Palmer
Location: 412 W. Palmer Street at former Palmer Game Bar
Artist: Irisol Gonzalez
Date: 2019
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @irisolgonzalezart
Story: This mural is sponsored by Brand the Moth and their META Mural Artists Residency Program. Brand the Moth is a non-profit organization creating community based public art projects and supporting emerging artists with the META residency opportunity. Irisol Gonzalez is an artist from their inaugural residency program. Gonzalez works mainly in paint, watercolors, and colored pencils and was an artist for the ArtPop Street Gallery in 2019.
Key Formal Elements:
- Polychromatic color scheme
- Variety of flowers and plant types
Make the Connection:
As a Latina raised in the United States, Gonzalez explores her heritage through the use of color and texture. The artist brings the flora and fauna of tropical Central America to an urban street corner. The inclusion of the Blue Macaw, a critically threatened bird native to South America and a bee, whose populations are in severe decline, could be a call to environmentalism. What messages may the variety of flowers and plants have in this context?