Art is Hard: Surviving and Thriving as an Artist in Charlotte
November 15, 2019 at Elder Gallery

Four of our city’s working artists explore the experiences of surviving and thriving as an artist in Charlotte.

Georgie Nakima is a multidisciplinary artist and muralist. After honing in on her artistry at Northwest School of the Arts, she attended Winston-Salem State University with intention to explore the natural world. Her studies in Life Sciences have fueled her insight in environment preservation and philosophy, and transcends through her work’s subject matter. Her work pays homage to the African and Indigenous diaspora while highlighting nature and biodiversity. She casts a hero-like vibe to her subjects that represents the resilience and triumph that builds into the essence of women, diversity inclusion, and wildlife. Her aim is to collaborate with the community and contribute towards mural installments that also fuse techniques in art therapy. More of her work can be seen at www.gardenofjourney.com

Amy Herman is an artist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She received her MFA in Photography from Columbia College Chicago, and her BFA in Fine Art from Michigan State University. Her photographs have been shown on the international level and are included in the permanent collections of the Kiyosota Museum of Photography and The Museum of Fine Arts Houston. She teaches photography at Central Piedmont Community College and co-directs Goodyear Arts.

Nicia Carla is a Charlotte based theatre maker. As Artistic Director of PaperHouse Theatre she has created two immersive play adaptations, SHE WHO WATCHES and THE SHERLOCK PROJECT, as well as directed (MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, THE ALIENS) and acted (The K of D, WE WON’T PAY WE WON’T PAY). Nicia is currently a Theatre Instructor at North Meck High School, she has also taught with the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, and ASC’s Wolf Trap program. She worked for years as a Core Artist at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, acting, teaching, and directing. She has acted and directed with many of the city’s theatres, including Theatre Charlotte and Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte.

Brian Kahn, moderator, is one half of the creative team behind Charlotte Squawks, now in its 15th year. Together with Mike Collins, he collaborates with the area’s most talented performers to make fun of pop-culture, sports, life and politics – both local and national. When he’s not writing musical parodies, Brian is a litigation partner at the law firm of McGuireWoods, L.L.P, specializing in complex business disputes and financial services litigation.