By PAGE LEGGETT

For someone who knew next-to-nothing about Charlotte, Val Britton became an expert in a hurry.

The Portland, Oregon-based artist won the commission to create an original work for Charlotte Douglas International Airport’s new Concourse A. She had a budget of $235,289 to create “Where Earth Meets Sky,” which was recently unveiled in the concourse’s west mezzanine. (ASC manages the public art programs for the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.)

It’s hard to imagine a better fit for the job.

Britton, who earned a BFA in printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and an MFA from California College of the Arts (CCA), was tapped to create a permanent public artwork for the San Francisco International Airport in 2015. “Voyage” is on the Departures level between domestic Terminals 1 and 2 and was recognized as “Best In Public Art Projects” by “Americans for the Arts Public Art Network Year in Review.”

Britton’s work is also in the permanent collections of some esteemed venues – the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, the Cleveland Clinic Fine Art Collection, Facebook headquarters (she once served the company as artist-in-residence), the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, the San Jose Museum of Art and more.

The Livingston, New Jersey native had never been to Charlotte until she was invited, along with other finalists, to present their qualifications. And the extent of her knowledge about the Queen City was Romare Bearden’s connection to it. (Bearden is known for his collage work, as is Britton.)

“I’m very interested in a sense of place,” she said. “I was interested in this opportunity because of the liminal space of an airport, where there are all these interconnecting trajectories and all these people on their way somewhere.”

Maps are a frequent theme of hers. Her art “uses the language of maps to create immersive, layered mixed media works that describe physical and psychological spaces,” she wrote in her application.

The fascinating – and deeply personal – reason for her love of maps is her late father’s work as a cross-country truck driver and mechanic. After his death, Britton used road maps to try to piece together parts of his life she didn’t know.  

Using maps – or map iconography – is an effective visual cue in her art. The viewer inherently understands it’s shorthand for wayfinding. And that could be literal or metaphorical.

Britton’s art deals with physical spaces – and sometimes psychological ones. “Collage, drawing, painting, printing and cutting paper have become my methods for navigating the blurry terrain of memory and imagination,” she writes.

Art based on research

Her giant, high-impact art wall (more than 48 feet wide by 16 feet high) in the Charlotte airport was inspired by aerial views, mapping, topography and research into Charlotte’s history. Symbols and shapes derived from mapping depict an imaginary, yet somehow familiar, world.

The judges were impressed with how methodical Britton is. “Her practice is very research-heavy,” said Todd Stewart, ASC’s vice president for public art. “She works abstractly, so there are many different references, inspirations and bodies of knowledge incorporated in each piece. That’s a big strength of hers.”

Britton, who calls herself an “intuitive worker,” said she approaches artmaking and research in much the same way. “There’s an exploratory artmaking side that’s about working with materials, colors and shapes; moving things around; and finding relationships within that. It’s the same with research: I sift through what’s there and see what resonates.”

Where better to research Charlotte than at UNC Charlotte’s Atkins Library?

Britton asked for – and was assigned – a student researcher to assist. Jonathan Apgar was then a senior art major at UNC Charlotte, and he helped uncover maps, aerial photographs, plans and soil surveys, which Britton said are surprisingly “interesting and beautiful; there are all these networks and layers of history.”

She’s not just interested in roadmaps. She incorporates data and markings from all kinds of maps in her work – including goldmining maps and something even less likely: wastewater sanitation maps. “They can tell you a lot about populations and what’s happening with health,” she said. She found these maps especially interesting, as she was working on this commission during a global pandemic.

Working with a student researcher is something that set Britton apart. “It’s not a typical practice,” Stewart said. “It’s another measure of the extra distance Val went to ensure this piece is really tied to Charlotte.”

Even the materials she chose reference Charlotte. She created her own reddish pigment using Charlotte clay and red brick procured from the Little Sugar Creek Greenway and surrounding area. And gold leaf is an homage to the city’s prospecting history.

A sense of place

She managed to give the static work a sense of movement “in which viewers can immerse themselves and travel through their imaginations into a complex visualization of history and landscape,” she said.

The work’s themes – interconnectedness, wonder, a sense of place – come to life through Britton’s palette of strong blues and gilded accents. She found a fabricator – Magnolia Editions in Oakland, California – to help bring the vision to life. Magnolia prepped 60, half-inch thick plywood panels with gold gesso.

“I had never worked with them before, and they were fantastic,” Britton said. “They do traditional printmaking, papermaking, digital printing, Jacquard weaving. The tactility, color and beauty of the panels they created for the Charlotte airport really exceeded my expectations.”

After she created the artwork as a large-scale collage, she photographed it in “super-high resolution,” she said. Then, Magnolia digitally printed on the primed wood.

“It’s actually a UV-cured digital printing, and the color and detail are incredible,” she said. “It’s so high-res, you can actually see shadows of the collage material, which makes it feel like a real collage rather than something printed. Collage is a medium I love working with, because you can integrate and marry a lot of different materials and create a unified piece that’s layered, rich and deep.”

Her meticulous placemaking leads to something special for viewers – “the people who work there and those just passing through,” she said. She aims for something “that surprises them or gets them to think about where they are in a new way.”

Stewart, who was on-site during the five-day installation, is happy with the outcome – and with the process that led to it.

“It’s always a privilege to work with artists who learn as much as they can about our city and the specific place they’re designing for,” he said. But Britton took it to the next level. “She learned so much about the land the airport sits on. She visited several times and took an enormous amount of inspiration for the piece she created.”

“Where Earth Meets Sky” left an outsized impression on Stewart. “We do many, many projects, and I’ve seen many different types of work,” he said. “But what Val and her fabricator accomplished is extraordinary. It really looks like a handmade collage made on a grand scale. I think anyone who comes into that concourse will be hard-pressed not to take notice.”

Follow Val Britton at Instagram.com/ValBritton/.

By PAGE LEGGETT

If there’s someone in your field you admire, let them know. And ask them for advice. It could lead to one of the best experiences of your career.

Take it from someone who knows: Sir Hodge (that’s Erick Hodge’s pseudonym) won a $15,000 Creative Renewal Fellowship from the ASC, which allowed the digital storyteller to work with an industry hero of his, Oghalé Alex of Isoko in London, on a customized course of study.

Hodge and Alex connected online several years through mutual friends. “I told Oghalé I’d love to learn from him – how he approaches his business, what he’s doing with his studio, what his process is,” said Hodge. “He’d never done anything like that before – but was excited to try.”

The artist is thrilled with all he learned. “Oghalé gave me the keys to the kingdom,” he said. “He asked what I wanted to learn so he could tailor the experience to my needs.”  

The student becomes a master  

A multidisciplinary (photography, film, videography and overall creative direction) creative, Hodge is a storyteller at heart. But his tales are told through images rather than words.

He aims to “explore the human spirit’s ability to overcome obstacles and push through difficult circumstances.”

You might be surprised to know Hodge is a commercial artist. You won’t see his work in galleries (not yet, anyway) – but you might see it in an ad campaign. It’s perhaps an unusual route for someone whose goal is “to push the boundaries of visual storytelling and to give a voice to those … often left unheard.”

His clients and partners – including Nike, Walmart, Under Armour, the NFL, the NBA, ESPN, Charlotte FC, Pepsi, Ally Bank and more – seek him out precisely because of his vision. Most find him through word of mouth.

He’s a one-man show – until he lands an assignment. And then he assembles a team of freelance creatives based on what his client needs.

His clients appreciate that he takes time to teach them about his art. “One client told me I do an incredible job of educating them on my process, why I do things a certain way,” he said. “As a creative, you can believe that everyone sees the world as you do, but they don’t. You have to bring people into the fold.”

Hodge’s fellowship allowed him to work one-on-one with someone he considered an industry icon – who then became a friend and collaborator. He got to be part of the creative direction of a shoot – onsite and also doing editing and post-production on the back end in person and online.

Hodge took part in brainstorming sessions and learned how someone he considers a creative genius takes an idea from concept through execution. Casting, location scouting, creating mood boards, pitching, pre- and post-production – nothing was off-limits.

He’s hardly a beginner when it comes to any of that. “I take pre-production very seriously in every project I do,” he said. “I call that the dating phase. You’re getting to know your client and their goals. The production part is the wedding – the briefest of the three phases – and post-production is the marriage. It’s where things live. I give credence and value to all three phases.”

Hodge set out to “gain a deeper understanding of the craft of creative direction and the different roles and responsibilities within a production.” He got that – and much more.

Trademark visual style

Hodge’s experience amounts to a lot more than the three weeks he spent in London. He began one-on-one video brainstorming sessions and phone calls with Alex this spring.

Alex’s work is imbued with a sense of calm. His chill vibe is evident in all every project. It’s his hallmark – and something Hodge admires.

“I have so much love for Oghalé,” he said. “We’re kindred spirits in many ways, but totally different in how we approach things. His style is all about calm. We spent a lot of time talking about what that means and how you carry that theme throughout a campaign using ‘tranquil narratives, harmonizing subjects with their surroundings … a palette of soft colors and a touch of romanticism.’” 

Hodge strives for a distinct, recognizable look and feel to his work – something that signals to informed viewers that it’s a Sir Hodge image, print ad or TV commercial.

“All the upper-tier creative directors have their own visual style,” Hodge said. “In the past couple of months, I think my style has become more refined, but I still have a ways to go. But that’s one of the biggest reasons I wanted to do this. I wanted feedback from an artist I respect.”

And the feedback was better than he could’ve imagined. “When you talk to someone who’s really established in their creative practice and understands their visual tone, voice and approach,” he said, “they can see things in you and your work that you may not necessarily see.”

Alex told Hodge not to call the experience an apprenticeship. “He said we were peers, and that this was more of a collaboration than an internship,” Hodge said.

The two are still in contact through video and phone sessions they’ll continue through the end of 2024. And then Hodge will pay it forward.  

“I plan to use the knowledge and experience I gained … to give back to my community,” he wrote in his grant application. “I aim to thoroughly document my fellowship experience,” and use it to “inspire and guide others in their creative pursuits.”

Don’t give up

“This was an invaluable experience, and I am indebted to the Arts and Science Council for making it happen,” Hodge said. His gratitude is boundless, and that’s perhaps because this wasn’t the first time he’s applied for this ASC fellowship.

It was his fourth time.

“The first year I applied, I didn’t get it,” he said. “The second year I applied – during the pandemic – ASC provided partial funding to a couple of people, and I was one of the lucky ones. That grant allowed me to go to Puerto Rico for a family ancestry project. The third year, I didn’t get it, and I was really bummed. The application takes a lot of time to complete. I didn’t think I’d apply again. Other people I know applied, and I’ve even pitched some ideas for their applications for grants they won! It was very discouraging.”

But the fourth time proved to be the charm.

Judges were unanimous in selecting Hodge, said Ivan Garnica, ASC’s grant manager. He was one of 25 artists to apply for one of 10 slots. “The judges said Sir Hodge had strong work samples and showed a love for and commitment to the Charlotte community,” Garnica said. “They praised the ‘clear ask and clear plan.’”

Garnica added that artists developing their own course of study – as Hodge did – is a little unusual, “but it’s incredible when people do it. It’s even more incredible when artists use the fellowship to do something to benefit the people of Charlotte.”

Hodge is “forever grateful to the ASC” and said that “if the Arts and Science Council was a person, I would hug them and say, ‘Thank you; you blessed me.’”

Hodge came home with confirmation from his mentor-turned-friend-and-colleague that he’s on the right path. “I’m hitting my stride and have new inspiration and a new level of confidence,” he said.

And he made the most of his time in one of the world’s greatest cities. When he wasn’t working, he was visiting cultural sites or seeing a soccer match. He said, “I felt so integrated into London that I believe, in another life, I might’ve lived there.”

Learn more about Sir Hodge at his website, sirhodge.com. Or follow him on Instagram at instagram.com/holasirhodge.

By VIRGINIA BROWN

When Pat Smith, a former clogger and retired preschool teacher, walked into the Crews Recreation Center in Matthews to participate in a free Culture Blocks program, she never expected it to have such a profound effect on her spirit.

As a senior, her goal was simply to keep moving. Drawn to Patrice Commodore’s “Dance Without Limits” program, she spent a series of weeks exploring salsa, African, jazz, and other kinds of dance.

“I was having fun and making friends,” she said. “Yes, it was a dance class, but it was much more for me: It was also a place of connection, where participants could be heard sharing local happenings, encouragement, and support.”

During these weekly check-ins, Commodore learned that “Ms. Pat,” as she became known, had a passion for crafting. As the dance program was about to end, Commodore asked Ms. Pat to join her STEAM-focused summer camp to lead a craft.

“At first, she was nervous,” said Commodore. “Ms. Pat had worked with preschoolers, but these students were much older.” Commodore reassured her that it would work, and it became a standing appointment at the camp. “The campers and Ms. Pat built strong connections and learned through the experience. Their time together has affirmed my long-standing belief that, when boundaries are eliminated, the possibilities are endless.”

ASC launched the Culture Blocks program in 2015, after studying data from Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s 2013 Quality of Life Explorer, which indicated that a majority of predominantly minority-based, lower-income neighborhoods had drastically lower levels of arts participation than others in the region.

“Many areas across Mecklenburg County had limited access to Charlotte’s arts and culture scene due to transportation and financial barriers. Culture Blocks bridges that gap by providing free arts, science, and history experiences directly within these communities, bringing the programming closer to where residents live,” said Claudia Griffin, Program Director for ASC’s Culture Blocks.

Culture Blocks began that year, with five geographical blocks. Nearly 10 years later, in fiscal year 2024, the ASC has doubled the number of represented blocks, offering 1,037 programs through 71 providers at community spaces across the county. Over 35,000 residents participated in the programs last year. 

Given the program’s success, the ASC is dedicated to expanding offerings like Commodore’s to the suburbs, from Matthews-Mint Hill to Cornelius and Huntersville. “We want to support cultural experiences, not only in the Charlotte region, but also all around the wider county,” said Griffin.

One newer provider is Burnt Reeds, a musical quintet made up of local musicians. In 2023, the ensemble commissioned local composers to write music inspired by the Carolinas.

“We value playing music by different types of people and different genders, ethnicities, and we realized, with the reed quintet, that a lot of composers for this genre are still Eurocentric men,” said Teil Taliesin, one of the musicians. “We put a strong focus on bringing as many voices to the table as possible—younger composers, more established composers, those of different ethnicities and different types of music.”

“One For Me, One For You,” by Zach Zubow, pays homage in six movements to Carolinas’ beer culture, with odes to Charlotte breweries, including Legion, Triple C, Free Range, and Birdsong. “Land of the Sky,” by Jessica Lindsey, juxtaposes field recordings of a Carolina wren with the sounds of a train to question the price of progress. And Amber Ferenz’s “From the Mountains to the Sea” takes listeners on a musical and emotional journey across North Carolina, from the Blue Ridge to the Outer Banks.

The commission process took only a year, and last August, the group toured “Homegrown Melodies,” for free to all 10 Culture Blocks.

At Marion Diehl Recreation Center, an unexpected encounter took place. “A photographer showed up, took photos of us, and wrote this amazing poem about how much the program impacted him, and the feeling of home,” said Taliesin. “It’s wonderful to see how the music affected all these people so differently, and it really showed us that we made a huge impact.”

The group especially enjoyed going out to the farther reaches around Charlotte. Their first performance last August took them to Matthews. “It was a packed house,” she said. “So many people from the community showed up and were excited to hear the pieces.”

But what affected the group the most was the sense of connection they got with the participants. “All of us are classically trained, so we’ve performed from stages for a long time, but there’s always that physical divide between the audience and the music,” said Taliesin. “We like to remove the physicality of the stage, because it allows for a connection where people can walk up and talk to us.”

They also opened the floor for questions and introduced their instruments so audience members could see how each sounded individually before they played together.

“Burnt Reeds really wants to make sure that music programming is accessible and in comfortable environments,” she said. “Traditional stages aren’t necessarily the most comfortable environment for everybody, and that’s why we really like to change up where we’re playing, whether it’s in a recreation center or a library or brewery.”

Other barriers to the arts include transportation to traditional performance venues, admission costs, or a lack of a sense of belonging or fear of not knowing “the rules”—when to sit or stand, when to clap, what to wear. 

Longtime Culture Blocks provider Nicci Canada, founder of Dapper Street Productions, recently brought her “Jazzin’ with the Seniors” musical programs to Northern Regional Recreation Center in Cornelius and David B. Waymer Recreation Center in Huntersville.

“I believe that everyone should be exposed to the arts,” she said. “Music – the arts – brings communities together, which is what I see on a regular basis.”

With the ASC’s expanded focus on the suburbs, artists, creative organizations, and partner locations have additional ways to build awareness about the type of programming they’re offering to a wider audience, according to Giovanna Torres, communications manager with the ASC.

“Culture Blocks have been a game changer to our community and our programs,” said Reggie Cummings, facility manager at Berewick Recreation Center. “We’ve held concerts, circus and dance camps, fitness dance classes, salsa, and creative arts classes, just to name a few, and with each program, there was a different experience and a significant influx of new participants.”

To learn more about Culture Blocks programs in your area, visit artsandscience.org/cultureblock

By PAGE LEGGETT

Let’s say you see an email from the Arts & Science Council (ASC) informing you that you’ve won $3,000 – no strings attached. What do you do?

Delete it, and congratulate yourself for recognizing a phishing attempt when you see one? Many of us would.

When artist/muralist Junior Gomez got that email, he wondered if it was too good to be true. “I read it four times just trying to process it,” he said.

Then, he called Ivan Garnica, ASC’s grant manager and the rainmaker who’d sent Gomez the email. Garnica confirmed it was legit and told Gomez that an ASC Fellow had nominated him for a SEED grant.

“When someone is awarded an ASC fellowship, they have the opportunity to nominate another creative from the community they believe deserves recognition,” Garnica said. In Gomez’s case, artist and muralist Abel Jackson was the nominator.

“Abel had asked for my email a few weeks prior,” said Gomez, who described his style as “contemporary graffiti.”

“I thought he was sending me some information on something we’d discussed. I had no idea this was coming. And it came during a difficult time where I needed motivation to keep me going. I was extremely taken aback and just so happy and excited.”

Welcome windfall

What’s incredible is that Gomez had applied for – but not been awarded – another grant a few months prior. He’d proposed a trip to Egypt to gain inspiration for a new series of paintings. “It was great to see him awarded this SEED grant so soon thereafter,” Garnica said.

“Junior called me when he was declined,” he continued. “He was understandably disappointed, but he was grateful for the guidance we gave him for when he applies again. He hadn’t known SEED grants were even something ASC did. He was incredibly grateful.”

Most grant applications are long, involved and time-consuming to complete. But SEED grant recipients have been vetted by their nominators and only have to answer a few questions about how they’ll use their funds.

“We don’t ask for a budget,” said Garnica. “We don’t ask for a lot of details. We do request a final report afterwards to see what they learned through this process and to ask if there’s anything they would change. But it’s nothing like our full application.”

Gomez’s application spelled out how he’d use the grant to invest in his business: “I will use these funds to enhance my current technology, enabling greater creativity and efficiency in my artistic endeavors,” he wrote. “I plan to upgrade and enhance the technological tools and resources integral to my creative practice.”

He originally planned to invest in a new iPad. But shortly before the suspicious-sounding email arrived, his best camera broke – the one he uses to photograph his art and share it on his website and social media. It’s also how he documents his creative process. He posts those videos to YouTube.

So, the windfall was even more welcome.

Fairy godfather

Garnica’s role at ASC has made him a kind of modern-day fairy godfather.

If you’re a certain age, you’ll remember Publishers Clearing House TV commercials depicting Ed McMahon surprising an unsuspecting family with balloons, streamers, a film crew and a giant check.

Garnica is Charlotte’s version of Ed McMahon. He gets to surprise SEED grant recipients with happy news they weren’t expecting. He loves it.

“It’s always a surprise for someone to receive this kind of funding,” he said. “ASC wants to invest in their creative practice, wants them to expand their knowledge and have opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have. And yes, it’s absolutely amazing to be the person who delivers this news.”

It’s also amazing to be the person who receives the news – and soon after, the funds. For Gomez, ASC opened a door he’d thought was closed.

He’s had plenty of doors open of late. In July, he completed his largest mural to date. His client was SUPERCOOL Air Conditioning & Heating, and he painted a mural titled “Intention” at their NoDa headquarters at 954 N. Davidson St.

Source of inspiration

Gomez is more than artist. He also strives to be a role model for other artists.

One way he does that is by taking risks. “My journey as an artist is driven by a desire to push beyond boundaries and to set no limits on where I can go and what I can achieve,” he wrote in his statement for the ASC. “With each project, I strive to discover new levels within myself, continually evolving and expanding my creative horizons.”

“I believe in the transformative power of art and am committed to being a beacon of inspiration and encouragement for all those who dare to dream.”

And the surprise SEED grant has served as inspiration for him. When asked if he’d apply for another ASC grant, he said, “If I’m eligible, I’ll apply for every single one they post.”

He added that “Charlotte is lucky to have a resource like ASC that helps fund artists and allow us to follow our dreams. Artists I know in other cities and states have told me they don’t have the same opportunities that we do in Charlotte. It’s just such a motivating thing to feel that someone is watching out for us, supporting us and uplifting us.”

 Learn more about Junior Gomez and his art at juniordesignsart.com.

By PAGE LEGGETT

If anyone needed renewal – and deserved some R&R – it was de’Angelo DIA.

For the past 25 years, he’s been what he called “tri-vocational.” He’s divided his time among three roles – educator, clergyman and professional artist. He shared that in his application for a 2024 ASC Creative Renewal Fellowship.

He added, “I decided to step away from the constraints of a 9-5 and pursue a career as a full-time artist beginning in 2024. The Creative Renewal Fellowship is a restorative opportunity that will contribute not only to my understanding of my voice as a poet, but also to expanding my reach as an ambassador of the arts in Charlotte.”

DIA has support from a wide range of impressive poets in the Carolinas – Jaki Shelton Green, North Carolina’s poet laureate; Glenis Redmond, the poet laureate for Greenville, South Carolina; Jay Ward, Charlotte’s poet laureate; and Angelo Geter, Rock Hill’s poet laureate. 

A list of themes his poetry deals with is lengthy, too – the rise and fall of athletes of color, grief as a reaction to the abuse of power and authority, mass incarceration, the psychology of parenting.

His influences? It’s another long list that includes “comic book mythology, theological imagination and contemplation, poet and performance artist Saul Williams, writer Shel Silverstein, artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and poet Nikki Giovanni.”

‘Power, passion and vision’  

The review committee liked what they saw in DIA’s application. They awarded him the full $15,000 he requested.

Ivan Garnica, ASC’s grant manager, said one reviewer wrote, “I love the power, passion, vision and hope he expresses throughout the application.” Another wrote: “His desire to grow and evolve his discipline in an innovative and interesting manner aligns completely with the stated goals and requirements of the grant.”

DIA sought to use the grant exactly as intended. The program overview from the ASC website reads, “The Creative Renewal Fellowship is intended to provide a structured period of rest and creative exploration for vocational artists. The fellowship funds can be used for research, instruction, conferences, apprenticeships, travel or other experiences that help the recipient explore their creative journey.”

Garnica said, “The purpose of this fellowship is to provide space for research, an apprenticeship, skill-building in a craft you really haven’t developed. Many Fellows want to explore a completely new genre or medium and then weave what they’ve learned into their regular discipline.”

DIA was among them. He found the Cadence Video Poetry Festival, which offered workshops, panels and tutorials on how to construct video poems. That’s the direction he wants to go next.

From Rhinebeck to Chile

DIA hoped to accomplish three primary things with his fellowship: Self-care, time to explore new poetic forms and an opportunity to meet and network with poets he admired. He curated his own course of study that the grant allowed him to pursue.

• A collective of Black poets he’s been following – Cave Canem Poets – hosted an event at the New School in New York – a lecture and a reading by the poet Jay Wright, past winner of Guggenheim and MacArthur fellowships. “I picked his mind about his journey as a poet, what he’s doing now, how he’s keeping it fresh,” DIA said. “It was an amazing experience.”
• Self-care was the reason for DIA’s visit to the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York for a workshop called “Reclaiming your Authentic Self” led by theologian and poet Thema Bryant, Ph.D. “She raised important questions that really resonated with me,” DIA said. “In my writing, I’m examining topics like tenderness, compassion, self-care, self-love, community,” he said. “What I learned from Dr. Bryant and my fellow participants will have a direct impact on my work.”
• The grant also covered a series of virtual workshops. In one, Tracie Morris discussed “how you can poetically write about sensitive topics in a way that honors your experience and honors other individuals involved,” DIA said.
• He took online workshops from a poetry organization called The Watering Hole and “learned from poets who are doing personal and vulnerable work.” And the grant allowed him to join both the Academy of American Poets and Charlotte Center for Literary Arts – or Charlotte Lit, for short. He’s taken workshops there – one called Duplex that was led by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Jericho Brown – and plans to register for more. 
• Lastly, he traveled to Santiago, Chile to work one-on-one with Rigoberto Gonzalez, a much-lauded poet, professor, editor and book critic. “I’ve had my work critiqued before,” DIA said. “But I’d never had someone go through a body of work and show me how poems could be in dialogue with each other, how to structure a book in a logical sequence, how to create a voice between poems.” He also studied Pablo Neruda, the great Chilean poet and diplomat, and visited some of his regular haunts.

‘I’ve grown bolder’
DIA loved being a pastor and an educator, but said, “Neither role fed my creative passion. So, I’m moving into a single career as a poet and performance artist. At some point, if it’s the will of the universe, I’ll go back into teaching and the intersection of theology and poetry. But in this season of life, I want to understand myself and my voice as a creative.”

He’s grown in his understanding. But he’s gained even more than he set out to. One outcome of his fellowship is something DIA wasn’t counting on.

“I’ve grown bolder in approaching individuals across the country I admire,” he said. “I’ll contact them to ask if we can schedule a call or Zoom. I want to find out: What’s feeding your work right now? What’s informing your work? How do you keep it fresh?”

And he learned to treasure down time. When he was “tri-vocational,” there was rarely time for reflection. Now, he said, “I feel recharged – physically, emotionally and spiritually – and not so stretched or consumed. For many of us creatives, we complete projects and check the box and then we’re off to the next project.” DIA’s creative renewal allowed him time to reflect.

“I’ve been in a holding pattern of an ‘emerging artist’ for quite some time,” he added. “But I feel something else percolating. I feel something opening up. I leave this experience really thankful and feeling that something great is coming.”

 Learn more about de’Angelo DIA and his art at dia1518.com.