Start at 3434 Monroe
Title: “Everywhen”
Location: 3434 Monroe Road
Artist: Sharon Dowell and Christopher Holston
Date: 2021
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @sharon_dowell, @christopher.hoston.art
Story: Find the colorful corner of this building where artists Sharon Dowell and Christopher Holston fill the space with layers of shapes and colors. Dowell is one of the OG mural artists in Charlotte with murals in Camp North End, Uptown, South End and the East Side. Partnering in life and art with Christopher Holston, there is a unique combination of their two styles in this mural. More structural pieces connect a little more to Dowell’s art while the more fluid elements here come from Holston.
Key Formal Elements:
- Polychromatic color scheme
- Organic and geometric shapes
Make the Connection:
Have you ever had a unit in a self-storage center? About 10% of the population does and often the need for storage comes from a change or transition in life. Like a move, a marriage, or transfer, and as the artists needed a storage unit when they combined households. They met the owner of this facility while they were carrying in paintings. He asked if they did murals… And next thing you know, the artists were doing a mural.
In this mural, there are connections to the past, present, and future, which are all considerations of transitions and the need for a storage unit. The building was originally Atlantic Envelope so look for the envelope in the mural. Catch the house on the corner wrapping both sides as a reminder that sometimes our structures have to be flexible.
Head to 3800 Monroe Rd
Title: "Holding Space"
Location: 3800 Monroe Road
Artist: Bree Stallings
Date: 2021
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @breestallingsart
Story: Bree Stallings is a super-star artist. While she has amazing murals outside of Charlotte in Gastonia, and some at Camp North End, this Monroe Road mural is her first mural included on ArtWalks. Funded with an Arts & Science Council Cultural Vision Grant and a grant from Charlotte is Creative, Stallings worked with the clients at Time Out Youth in three separate workshops to develop imagery for this mural. The mural was painted to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the founding of Time Out Youth, an LGBTQIA resource center.
Key Formal Elements:
- Notice the highlights on the face of the far-left figure
- Bilateral symmetry with the portraits at each end
Make the Connection:
So much to take in and consider with each intentional choice by the artist. Note the spread of the rainbow colors of the birds which represents the fluidity of the LGBTQIA community. Each bird has a symbolic meaning in the mural. For example, the yellow chickadee is a symbol of good luck and closely associated with ideas around happiness, positivity, and good fortune. Flowing across the mural in a helix form, the Japanese patterns suggest the inter-connectedness of humanity. As always, the imagery in the murals by Stallings is complex and deep but easy to appreciate just for the beauty of it.
Stop at Social Pet next to AutoBell
Title: Social Pet Mural
Location: 3814 Monroe Road
Artists: Arko and Owl
Date: 2020
Media: Acrylic paint
Artists Info: @arko.clt, @owl.clt
Story: Prominent local artists Arko and Owl embrace the balance of two different artistic styles. Owl’s “blob language” is based in mark making and her undulating lines flow across the wall. Meanwhile the magical, fantasy landscapes and figures produced by Arko tell a story of his make-believe worlds. Together they are richly layered and delight the eye. When they paint, Arko and Owl wear handmade, intricately detailed masks that relate to their personalities. Each believes that working while masked allows them the freedom to create and prevents gender or ethnicity from affecting their work.
Key Formal Elements:
- Outline around the dogs
- Cool colors of purples, blues, and green dominate
Make the Connection:
Here the artists pay homage to the Echo Hills neighborhood and many of the surrounding businesses. Arko grew up in this part of town and his fantasy dog figures each denote an area business. The AutoBell next door, holding a rag and sponge with suds, and one of the several veterinary offices are both represented. See the dog with a stethoscope? Try to guess all the businesses embodied in the mural, and click on the GET HINTS HERE button for hints!
Across street at 3811 Monroe
Title: Elvis at Blood, Sweat and Tears Tattoo
Location: 3811 Monroe Road
Artist: Kathryn Crawford
Date: 2020
Media: Spray paint
Artist Info: @kathryncrawfordart
Story: Asheville-based artist Kathryn Crawford completed this mural shortly after she completed her mural for the 2020 Talking Walls festival. Blood, Sweat, and Tears Tattoo owner Dave Scearce searched for years to find the perfect artist for his small project. With no artist committing to the project, he was ready to google “how to paint a mural” and paint it himself. Then Scearce saw a social media post of a cat by Crawford and knew immediately he’d found the perfect artist.
Key Formal Elements:
- Visual texture of the dog’s fur
- Strong use of warm colors in the poppies
Make the Connection:
It’s Elvis the dog. Here the business owner’s dog shines brightly among the red and orange poppies. Scearce commissioned the portrait of his dog and requested bright colors but Crawford creatively designed the rest of the composition. If you could commission a muralist to paint your pet, where would it be, and what flowers would you choose?
Head to 3927 Monroe Road
Title: Grateful Dead mural at Cosmic Tattoo
Location: 3927 Monroe Road
Artists: Dustin Spagnola, Lord.melto.ftk
Date: 2020
Media: Aerosol paint
Artists Info: @dustinspagnola, www.dustinspagnola.com @lord.melto.ftk
Story: The owners of this building realized that their exterior wall needed repair work. That meant that the existing Grateful Dead mural would need to be removed. Fortunately, the owners were able to make the repairs and commission new artists to create another Grateful Dead mural on the side of the building.
Key Formal Elements:
- Symmetrical balance
- Strong use of outline in each rose
** Image credit Cosmic Tattoos
Make the Connection:
American rock band Grateful Dead was founded in the 1960s during the hippies, counter culture era. The mural depicts lead guitarist Jerry Garcia and band member Brent Mydland in front of a colorful tie-dye background. Asheville-based artist, painter, and muralist Dustin Spagnola did the portraits and @lord.melto.ftk did the background. Are you a Grateful Dead uber fan or “got to google that now” person?
Head to 4201 Monroe Rd
Location: 4201 Monroe Road on the side of Paper Puddle
Title: “Joy”
Artist: Sebastian Coolidge
Date: 2018
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @sebastiancoolidge
Story: The side wall of Paper Puddle is painted by artist Sebastian Coolidge with fun, colorful, letters and shapes. Coolidge is a Florida-based fashion designer, muralist, and illustrator. He painted a mural for the Talking Walls mural festival uptown in 2018 which is now removed and completed this additional mural during his trip to Charlotte.
Key Formal Elements:
- Polychromatic color scheme
- Unity provided by the green stem of the flower which starts on one side and flows to the other
Make the Connection:
Coolidge is known for his fun and lively compositions both in murals and clothing. His signature artistic element is the surrealist flower blossom with a face and long petals which you see depicted on the right of the composition. Make sure that you can pick out the letters that spell JOY and engage with this light, expressive, bouncy mural!
Also check out the augmented reality with this mural. Search Instagram stories for the artist's name and try the Dazey filter designed by @cheeks.clt and @suarezart. With your phone in selfie mode see the mural element come to life with you. Definitely Insta-worthy!
Head to Monroe and Chippendale
Title: "Wonder"
Location: Intersection of Monroe Road and Chippendale
Artists: MyLoan Dinh, Michelle “Bunny” Gregory
Date: 2021
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @myloandinh, @ugbattleofthehearts
Story: Patchwork Crosswalks are a series of commissioned artworks completed in Fall 2021. These three crosswalks share stories of area residents and reflect the unique identities of MoRA’s communities. They are inspired by patchwork quilting where individuals gather to share stories and create art together.
Funded through an Arts & Science Council Cultural Vision Grant and support from the City of Charlotte Neighborhood Matching Grants program, the Patchwork Crosswalks is a partnership between ArtWalks CLT and MoRa and neighborhood sponsors. Artists MyLoan Dinh and Michelle “Bunny” Gregory worked with members of the community in workshops and online community submissions to design the imagery of these murals. Community members helped to paint the murals.
Key Formal Elements:
- Positive shapes of the figures
- Symmetrical balance
Make the Connection:
With complex layering and patterns, artists MyLoan Dinh and Bunny Gregory create a mural with a deep connection to place. Located at the corner of the Oakhurst STEAM Academy, artist Dinh says the mural is “inspired by the playful creativity and curiousity of children.” The patterns inside of the figures pay homage to quilting and the textile heritage of the former Hudson Hosiery Mill, now torn down. Bees, honeycomb shapes, and flowers give viewers a connection to nature. The piano keys in one sunflower were inspired by a child’s submission. Look for other symbols of wonder, science, and learning.
Head to Conference Drive & Monroe Road
Title: “Embrace”
Location: 6697 Monroe Road
Artist: Leslie Scott with Lee Baumgarten
Date: 2017
Media: Stainless steel, ceramic tiles
Story: As East Charlotte began attracting redevelopment, Monroe Road Advocates (MoRA) organized and began to see a vision for their changing community and it included art. This highly visible site across from East Mecklenburg High School and the Independence Regional Library became a civic location once Goode Properties set aside the piece of property for community use. With a Cultural Vision Grant from the Arts & Science Council and private donations, art became its anchor. Leslie Scott brainstormed in community workshops; at her unexpected passing, artist Lee Baumgarten stepped in to complete this large-scale sculpture.
Key Formal Elements:
- Free-standing sculpture
- Texture of each individual tile
** Photo credit: Leigh Black
Make the Connection:
This stunning sculpture interacts with and engages the community. From walking under and through and finding your reflection in the piece to reading the special messages in each individual tile, this piece wants you to be involved and invites you to be a part of the space. The stainless-steel components harken to the famous “Bean” on Chicago’s waterfront, but the ceramics add warmth and community. What’s your favorite tile?
On sidewalks at intersection
Title: "LovN On Each Other"
Location: Intersection of Monroe Road and Conference Drive
Artists: MyLoan Dinh, Michelle “Bunny” Gregory
Date: 2021
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @myloandinh, @ugbattleofthehearts
Story: Patchwork Crosswalks are a series of commissioned artworks completed in Fall 2021. These three crosswalks share stories of area residents and reflect the unique identities of MoRA’s communities. They are inspired by patchwork quilting where individuals gather to share stories and create art together.
Funded through an Arts & Science Council Cultural Vision Grant and support from the City of Charlotte Neighborhood Matching Grants program, the Patchwork Crosswalks is a partnership between ArtWalks CLT and MoRa and neighborhood sponsors. Artists MyLoan Dinh and Michelle “Bunny” Gregory worked with members of the community in workshops and online community submissions to design the imagery of these murals. Community members helped to paint the murals.
Key Formal Elements:
- Use of grey scale on the patterns
- Implied motion
Make the Connection:
In one swirling flow of hearts and squares, artists MyLoan Dinh and Bunny Gregory create a warm and loving embrace on the sidewalk. In a connection to the iconic “Embrace” sculpture at the same corner, this sidewalk mural reminds us of that physical connection of touch. Several of the portraits on the mural were included in community submissions for the art and individual squares created by community painters.
For any art history nerds out there (us), think Gustave Klimt and his famous flowing patterns and get lost in the blanket of color and shapes.
On side street behind library
Title: Street Mural
Location: 6900 Wallace Lane
Artist: Carla Garrison-Mattos
Date: 2020
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @paintingsandthings
Story: The City of Charlotte loves murals. Its Urban Design Center and the Office of Sustainability supported local artists and filled Charlotte’s streets with murals during the summer of COVID. Artists from the city’s Placemaking Artist Pool installed street murals that captured the impact of COVID and the resiliency and sustainability of our city.
Key Formal Elements:
- Outline and contour lines on the figures
- Roll of toilet paper provides unity
** Photo credit: Carla Garrison-Mattos
Make the Connection:
Local artist Carla Garrison-Mattos gives us the superheroes of the pandemic during 2020. Against the back drop of the unfurling roll of toilet paper (I can’t believe I just wrote that about art), two larger than life healthcare workers and Queen Charlotte herself take on and fight the green-spiked virus on the right. Garrison-Mattos was inspired by a friend of hers who is a nurse. She dedicated this mural to all of the essential workers fighting for us during COVID-19. Who’s your COVID hero?
Head to Monroe and Galleria
Title: "Gather"
Location: Intersection of Monroe Road and Galleria Blvd.
Artists: MyLoan Dinh, Michelle “Bunny” Gregory
Date: 2021
Media: Acrylic paint
Artist Info: @myloandinh, @ugbattleofthehearts
Story: Patchwork Crosswalks are a series of commissioned artworks completed in Fall 2021. These three crosswalks share stories of area residents and reflect the unique identities of MoRA’s communities. They are inspired by patchwork quilting where individuals gather to share stories and create art together.
Funded through an Arts & Science Council Cultural Vision Grant and support from the City of Charlotte Neighborhood Matching Grants program, the Patchwork Crosswalks is a partnership between ArtWalks CLT and MoRa and neighborhood sponsors. Artists MyLoan Dinh and Michelle “Bunny” Gregory worked with members of the community in workshops and online community submissions to design the imagery of these murals. Community members helped to paint the murals.
Key Formal Elements:
- Geometric shapes of the quilt patterns
- Warm colors of the heart focal point
Make the Connection:
Lead artist Bunny Gregory uses geometric patterns of quilts combined with images of community activities to remind us of the importance of having gathering places. Look for gathering in nature and notice the tree roots and leaves framing the sidewalks. Find images of helping others, games, pets, and other reminders of how we connect. Even pizza! Quilts tell stories and here they tell us to be community!