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Summer, Somewhere
There’s a moment when you walk into Voyage, Camp North End’s beloved travel boutique, when wanderlust hits you like a wave. For me, it arrived right on time.
Our family is entering a new chapter of travel. Our youngest is finally old enough for bigger adventures, both here and abroad, and our older two are at the age where memories stick—a trip becomes something they’ll carry with them forever.
This summer, we’re returning to one of our family’s happy places—the Shore in Avalon, New Jersey—with a stop in Washington, D.C. to visit one of my dearest friends, who is expecting her first baby. We’ll be there over the Fourth of July, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
That spirit of American pride runs through this issue, too. In this month’s Explore issue we are featuring SouthPark artist Dan Nance—a historical painter, diorama builder and animated storyteller, whose work brings America’s past to life in a way that will move you.
We also have Ashley Theis of The Constant Wayfarer sharing her latest safari trip to Africa, a conversation with renowned Palm Beach photographer Nick Mele following his recent visit to Charlotte, and local artist Kate Schultz describing how her backyard garden is a source of creative inspiration.
And for those of you in a season of life that keeps you closer to home—I see you, and I’ve been there. When my children were younger, summer looked more like slowing down, staying local and finding our adventures in smaller moments. One of my treasured memories is a teddy bear picnic we put together in the backyard with our favorite stuffed bears, a quilt and a stack of bear themed picture books from the library. Sometimes the smallest escapes leave the biggest impressions. My kids still talk about that morning!
However you spend this summer whether across an ocean or the backyard, I hope these pages inspire you to take a break and explore.
The Independence Fund’s Beyond The Call Luncheon at The Duke Mansion | 1: (Left to right) Ashley McBride, Sarah Verardo, Emily Odom 2: Natalie Stewart, Angie Smith, Sarah Verardo, Elizabeth Poplin, Miranda Miller, Mackenzie Moser 3: Liz Brown and Natalie Stewart 4: Cherokee Motes, Danica Thomas, Steven Rozina, Sarah Verardo, Doug Ackerman, Ashley Skinner 5: Bobbi Jo Lazarus, Sarah Verardo, Suzanne Whatley, Jennifer Overcash, Sarah Newby 6: Honored caregivers (left to right) Debbie Nizynski, Alicia Maddaloni, Valeria Sullivan, Kristi Wheeler, Veronica Burke 7: Jenn Day, Sarah Verardo, Heather Gaudioso, Brandon Allison
Independence Fund supports catastrophically wounded combat veterans and their families.
Photography by Adam Eugene
The Mint Museum Coveted Couture Gala 2026 | 8: Ashley and Scott Mattei 9: Jen Sudul Edwards, PhD, Liam Stokes, Betsy Rosen, and Gavin Edwards 10: Hilary Burt and Peter Bove 11: Charlotte Wickham, Spencer Guthery, Bryan Taylor, Wesley Clark 12: Kerr and Mahroo Putney 13: Jo Ann Peer, Mary Lou Babb, Pat Rodgers, and Beverly Hance 14: Annie Carlano and Ann Tarwater
TABLE TWO STUDIO MAKES AL FRESCO ENTERTAINING EFFORTLESSLY ELEGANT
PAPER PLATE PERFECTION
ARTICLE BY ELLIOTT HARRELL PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF TABLE TWO STUDIO
“WE WANTED SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE OUR PORCELAIN AND CHINA.”
Gabrielle Amato couldn’t relax during her housewarming party. Instead of enjoying the time with friends and celebrating her family’s new home in Charlotte, she was stressed about how long it would take her to wash all of the vintage china plates.
“I just felt so overwhelmed,” says Amato, who moved here from New York in 2023. “It took away from me wanting to actually host and have fun.”
She had a newborn to worry about. She felt like she had to decide between beautiful decor that created a lot of work for her, or easy decor that didn’t match the look and feel she wanted for the party.
She talked to her best friend in New York, Carolyn Hakansson, and together they founded Table Two Studio, which creates realistic-looking paper plates.
“I needed something that was cute that didn’t mean staying up until 1 in the morning to hand-wash everything,” Amato says.
The duo, who met in New York working as fashion interns, set out to give paperware an elevated feel.
Gabrielle Amato and Carolyn Hakansson
“We wanted something that looks like our porcelain and china,” Amato says. “The only way to achieve that is to replicate it with hand-painted art.”
All of the Table Two Studio paper plates are inspired by popular china makers like Bordallo, Vietri and Ginori. They feature delicately drawn floral borders, wave motifs and coral reefs, among other designs, all meant to make paper plates look like porcelain.
Table Two Studio launched its first designs in September 2025, leaning on Hakansson’s background in design and Amato’s work in marketing and e-commerce.
“We have just been absolutely blown away,” Amato says. “People are looking for something cute and easy when they don’t want to pull all of their dishware out.”
Each design comes in a dinner-sized option as well as a coordinating hors d’oeuvres or dessert plate. They’re designed to mix and layer, creating beautiful tablescapes for events. To go with the plates, Amato and Hakansson also created cloth napkins and placemats as part of the collection.
“If I’m laying down paperware, I want to put them on a nice linen or special charger to elevate them,” Amato explains. “With our linens, we want people to understand that paper plates can still feel luxurious and thoughtful if it’s styled the right way, and there are textures and layers.”
Table Two Studio plates can be found locally in Eastover gift shop, Bonnie + Bud or online at TableTwoStudio.com
“THEY FEATURE DELICATELY DRAWN FLORAL BORDERS, WAVE MOTIFS AND CORAL REEFS, AMONG OTHER DESIGNS.”
Timeless design, refined craftsmanship, and flawless delivery. Remodeling without shortcuts—and without compromise. We invite you to experience the difference.
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Curated European Antiques for Inspired Interiors
Traveled WELL
At Voyage, Ophelia Allman Merges Global Style, Small-Batch Goods and Women-Only Trips
ARTICLE BY TAYLOR BOWLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLLY YUNG
Voyage feels less like a boutique and more like a passport you can step inside. The Camp North End specialty shop has racks of globally-inspired clothing in one area and shelves of small-batch provisions in another. Shoppers chat about upcoming trips to Zimbabwe, Mexico and Italy as they try on backpacking gear and alpaca coats. It’s colorful, curated and a reflection of its founder, Ophelia Allman.
“I wanted to bring something to Charlotte that encouraged women to travel and get things they knew were made by women around the world,” Allman says. “I spend most of my time as a liaison, curating what goes into the store. I still have a personal relationship with most of our suppliers.”
Allman didn’t set out to open a boutique, a travel agency or a provisions market. Her path has been anything but linear. She grew up going back and forth between Greece and New York, absorbing two very different cultures.
She studied biochemistry and international business, then spent nearly a decade working in public health, a career that took her to countries around the world. The work was demanding, but it also gave her a kind of institutional knowledge about how people live, eat, dress and connect across cultures.
Then came Covid.
Allman stepped away from public health and did something entirely different: she got her helicopter pilot’s license and spent the next few years in the air. When she eventually landed in Charlotte, she noticed something missing. In other cities she’d lived in, there had been a dedicated expat community where people could swap stories about their travels. Charlotte didn’t have anything like that.
It sparked an idea.
In 2023, Allman launched Voyage as a virtual travel agency, organizing intimate, women-only group trips. From there, the idea grew. She began selling goods online—pieces she’d encountered during her years in public health, sourced directly from the makers themselves. If she hadn’t met the person behind the product, it didn’t make the cut.
In 2025, Allman expanded again, this time with a brick-andmortar location in Camp North End. Every item in the store has a story, and Allman can tell you where it came from, who made it and how it’s used.
“All of those stories take up a big part of my brain,” she says with a laugh.
One of her most unexpected successes is a line of dresses sourced from rural Ghana, now among her best sellers. Nearby, you might find one-of-a-kind pieces made by local artisans alongside global finds.
“People come in and get a sense of how unique things are,” she says. “I think they immediately let their guard down.”
Everything in the store must meet specific criteria: fair trade, fair wage and sustainably sourced. All food is organic and locally-produced. For clothing, nothing is factory-made.
“I’ve personally visited all of the farms,” Allman says. “Clothingwise, I try to support women. Most things are small-batch. Knowing that the person who made it had a relationship with the product before the consumer buys it is important.”
At a time when so many trends and storefronts look the same, Allman is deliberately pushing in the opposite direction.
“We try to keep unique pieces in hand,” she says. “It’s always the stuff I put on that’s loud or crazy that gets the most compliments because it stands out.”
That bold approach extends to the travel side of the business, too. This year, Allman has led seven trips; next year, she already has 11 on the calendar. Groups are capped at 12 people. Trips include sightseeing, cooking and wine-making classes and activities like sunset sailing, hiking and horseback riding.
“I think fast-fashion and over-processed food are such an issue for us in the U.S.,” Allman says. “Having ownership of something that’s the opposite of that makes me feel so proud.”
For customers preparing for one of Voyage’s trips, the boutique carries practical items like wool undershirts, socks and backpacking gear designed specifically for women. For people unable to travel, Allman is launching a Staycation Social Club. Subscribers get a destination-inspired experience box with artisan goods from women-owned brands around the world, plus access to online workshops and seasonal events.
“It’ll feature a different country every month,” she says. “We’ll have authentic cooking classes, a playlist … just, like, a very sensory experience. The goal is to have that rolled out by the holiday season.”
Long-term, Allman would love to open additional locations in Lake Norman and South Charlotte. For now, she’s happy to give customers a place to slow down, ask questions and leave with perspectives from around the world.
At its core, Voyage is less about retail or even travel. It’s about standing out and engaging with the world, whether that means booking a flight or simply buying a handmade piece with a story behind it.
“You don’t have to travel the world to learn how to make authentic food or find a piece that feels special or different,” Allman says. “Baseline, Voyage is about empowering people—not just women—to embrace other cultures.”
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Step Inside the Whirlwind World of European Antique Hunting with Drue Bohrer
ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON
Drue Bohrer grew up in Birmingham, Ala., surrounded by antiques and fell in love with French style while living in New Orleans. Now a Charlotte mom of three, she travels to the South of France four times a year to source European antiques for Drue Bohrer Antiques. The setting sounds glamorous but navigating five markets in eight days is, as Bohrer puts it, “a hustle.”
Drue Bohrer
6-7 A.M.
6-7 A.M. FAIRYTALE BEFORE DAWN
We stay at four- and five-star resorts throughout the South of France—essential with as many moving parts as our trips require. The hotels are glamorous, though dinner is usually all we experience before another early morning. We’re often in chateaus where waking up feels like a fairy tale—birds chirping, but it’s the calm before the storm.
7-8 A.M. COFFEE, CROISSANTS & THE CHASE
We pack the night before so everything’s ready for an early shower, quick change. Most hotels hand us a to-go breakfast—usually a croissant—before our driver, whom we hire for the week, picks us up by 7 a.m. We’re at the market by 7:30, before it opens at 8. Every day is about making it work.
“The markets are a whirlwind,” Bohrer says. “It’s so much emotion, too, so much money, so much energy inside. You’re doing it all morning. You don’t even get to your next hotel until 5 p.m.”
7-8 A.M.
8-9:30 A.M.
8-9:30 A.M. WHEN THE GATES OPEN
A sea of people lines up outside until a buzzer or air horn signals the rush—a calmer version of Black Friday in the ‘90s. We try British accents to blend in, but every strategy falls apart the second you walk in. The best pieces go fast, and if you hesitate, someone else’s sticker is already on them. It’s an adrenaline rush every morning for five days.
“It’s a much scrappier business than you would imagine. It seems so glamorous from the outside. It’s these gorgeous antique pieces with this big history and beautiful looks, and then behind the scenes, Drue is hustling,” says Kate Garton, an assistant who travels with Drue.
5-9 P.M. 9:30 A.M. -1:15 P.M.
9:30 A.M.-1:15 P.M. THE SECOND PASS
After the first hour and a half, we strategize around what we’ve bought. I circle back to negotiate lower prices on unsold pieces, then shift into hunting mode for smaller finds—artwork, architectural elements, garden statues. A shipper follows us with a large truck, and each day ends with me confirming every purchase made it on board.
1:15-5 P.M. FUEL STOPS & FINANCIAL FIRES
The markets move daily, so we drive two hours to the next city—grabbing sandwiches and coffee from surprisingly nice French gas stations. Cash is king, and managing large withdrawals becomes its own challenge. My business cards were shut down overseas, dealers laughed at my checkbook, and I ended up wiring money.
5-9 P.M. THE WIND-DOWN
We arrive, check in, and spend an hour exploring hotel grounds—once walking straight into a wedding. Dinner is at 7 p.m., often at the hotel, with Michelin-starred restaurants. We strategize, go to bed and do it all over again.
Find Drue’s treasures at Slate Interiors, 2025 Thrift Road, Unit 100. Follow @druebohrerantiques.
Dr. Amy Guyer
BY ASHLEY THEIS
ARTICLE BY ELLIOTT HARRELL
CHARLOTTE TRAVEL EXPERT ASHLEY THEIS SHARES HOW TO FIND THE AFRICAN SAFARI EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME
SAFARI DREAMS
Deep in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Africa, a safari guide cleared a path through dense trees with his machete. His partner, a gorilla tracker, had spotted the Kwitonda family nearby, a group of about 18 of the animals ranging from babies to adults.
For Ashley Theis, owner of luxury travel planning company The Constant Wayfarer, it was a once-in-a-lifetime bucket-list experience. She’d always wanted to go gorilla trekking in search of
the giant creatures. After about 30 minutes of picking their way through the jungle, the guide motioned for the group to grab their cameras and then ushered them around a corner. And there was the gorilla family.
“I couldn’t believe we were that close and sharing this space with them,” says Theis, whose group observed the gorillas for an hour. “I think I took 400 photos and only about 20 worked out because my whole body was vibrating with excitement.”
In Volcanoes National Park, only about 100 permits are issued each day to try to see one of 12 gorilla families. Trackers go out the night before to help give guides a good idea of where groups need to go. Guests can choose from easy, medium or hard guided treks.
“It was absolutely incredible to be there,” Theis says.
Gorilla trekking is just one safari option. If you’re more interested in seeing “the big five” animals—lions, elephants, leopards, rhinoceros and African buffalo—she recommends a traditional safari where you’ll go out in an open-air truck each day.
“There is something magical about being in a safari truck and watching a bunch of lions sleeping and starting their hunt in the
evening,” Theis says. “You feel so small, and just in awe of all of these animals and being in their environment.”
She says clients are often surprised at how close they can get to the animals, and how much the guides work to make the trips exceptional.
“Some of the best hospitality and best service I’ve ever experienced has been on safari,” Theis says.
Where to go depends on a number of factors, such as what you want to see, how long you want to stay and your budget, but there is a perfect safari for everyone.
Steeped in the romance of old-world safari camps, One Nature Nyaraswiga sits at the heart of the Serengeti—where sweeping plains views, copper soaking tubs and crackling fireplaces await inside every tented suite. The service here is as unforgettable as the scenery.
“YOU FEEL SO SMALL, AND JUST IN AWE OF ALL OF THESE ANIMALS AND BEING IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT.”
FAMILIES
“For families with younger children, I recommend a safari in someplace like South Africa,” Theis says. “It’s a great starting point because you don’t feel like you have to be on safari the entire trip.” She says families can experience Cape Town’s Table Mountain, go down the coast to see penguins, in addition to spending three to four days on safari.
LION KING LOVERS
For clients who want to feel like they’re in The Lion King , Theis suggests going to East Africa in late June and early July to catch the Great Migration. This is your best opportunity to see herds of wildebeests and zebras on their way across the Serengeti.
ELEPHANT LOVERS
Botswana has the largest elephant population in Africa, so Theis suggests fans of the gentle giants go here for a safari. There are also opportunities here for water safaris, including some that approach Victoria Falls and its infamous Devil’s Pool.
ADVENTURE SEEKERS
Gorilla trekking is a great option for thrill seekers. But Theis says East African spots like Kenya and Tanzania are ideal for people who want to be more active. In addition to going on a safari in a truck, there are helicopter and hot-air balloon options. Tacking on a few days in Zanzibar for the beach afterward is a great addition.
Contact Ashley Theis for more information @TheConstantWayfarer.
Photo courtesy of One Nature Nyaruswiga
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Where the Wildflowers Grow
LOCAL ARTIST USES NATURAL ELEMENTS IN BACKYARD GARDEN TO CREATE CONTEMPORARY LANDSCAPES
Artist Kate Schultz’s recent show in Greenville, S.C., featuring a series of landscapes, was aptly entitled “The Scenic Route.”
Schultz takes her lead and artistic inspiration from something as simple as an early-morning walk through her South Charlotte neighborhood or from staring out over her backyard garden.
“I get inspiration from the neighborhood, different people’s houses,” she says. “We have a little forest near our house, so I’ll take nature walks back there. I see a lot of animals. I would say my garden is my biggest inspiration.”
Her love of nature shines through in the collection shown at the Spoonbill Gallery in West Greenville, named for the bright pink wading birds that populate the salt marshes of South Carolina’s Low Country.
Schultz grew up in Jackson, Miss., and studied art at the University of Mississippi. At first, she painted parttime after work and sold pieces strictly by word of mouth. By the end of 2019, she and her husband were ready for a change and were drawn to the outdoors of North Carolina. She took a job in holistic health and painted on the weekends, before deciding to go fulltime during the pandemic.
“We have a little forest near our house, so I’ll take nature walks back there. I see a lot of animals. I would say my garden is my biggest inspiration.”
Charlotte artist Kate Schultz
Schultz and her husband bought their home in 2020 and began work on what would become the biggest inspiration for her subject matter, a backyard garden.
For the average person, looking out over a backyard the size of a little less than one acre might get mundane day after day, but not to someone with the artistic and nature-loving eye of Schultz, who relishes spending time outdoors and nurturing her garden.
Her garden features everything from vegetables to fruit bushes to herbs like rosemary and sage, basil and parsley, which bring all the more flavor to her vegetarian lifestyle.
Schultz takes the most inspiration from the most dynamic element of their garden: the wildflowers.
“I’ve just let the wildflowers do their own thing,” says Schultz, who loves perennial natives like echinacea, black-eyed susans and blanket flowers. “Sometimes things come up, and sometimes they don’t. It’s interesting just to see the way they move around the garden. And some things won’t come back every year, and some will, and some are odd varieties with unique colors. I just love that.”
She and her husband like to do the garden chores before sunrise. He waters the vegetables, she handles the herbs and flowers. By 9 or 10 a.m., she’s ready to get some ideas down on canvas.
“I usually try to get my inspiration from the early mornings,” she says. “The whole neighborhood is quiet. We have bird baths and
houses in our backyard, so we have different types of native birds that come out. We’ve got bunnies that roam around. The sun rises right in the middle of our garden, so the lighting is really nice.”
Schultz, who now paints full-time, begins by sketching and drawing her ideas before opening up acrylic paint. She likes getting something on canvas nearly every day, and says she often paints until late afternoon.
“I find that the more that I paint every day, the more I feel like my imagination can just run,” she says.
Her contemporary natural scenes play with a mix of realism and the abstract. Each piece features a realistic painting of a wren or bluebird, surrounded by more conceptual and playful elements.
Schultz says she likes “towing that line between something quite realistic and something messy.” There’s usually something playful and whimsical. The goal, she says as a self-proclaimed introvert, is to create artwork that’s peaceful, easy to look at and also “a bit of an escape” from a fast-paced lifestyle.
“Whether you need a moment of escapism or you’re having a bad day, it’s like a little calm moment,” Schultz says.
Her artwork is available locally at Shain Gallery in Myers Park, where it will be featured in August as part of a group show. Schultz’s art is also available in Greenville, S.C., Atlanta, Dallas and in her home state of Mississippi at locations in Ridgeland and Starkville.
“I usually try to get my inspiration from the early mornings. The whole neighborhood is quiet. We have bird baths and houses in our backyard, so we have different types of native birds that come out.”
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An Epically American Fourth of July
We all love the version of the Fourth of July in a backyard, with something cold in a koozie and a decent view of distant fireworks. But there is also a wilder Fourth—a version on horseback in Montana, with the Absaroka Range stacked up behind you, hair blowing in the wind under your Stetson. It’s all so Ralph Lauren that a barbecue by the pool may never be enough again.
Yellowstone Bison Viewing
Yellowstone Falls
Grand Teton National Park
Yellowstone Luxury Camp
If you’ve been looking to do something spectacularly American this summer—not just festive, but mythic—the answer is the Old West. Elizabeth Walsh, a Charlotte-based luxury travel advisor, recommends Paradise Valley, Montana, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, stitched together into a six-day journey that covers Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons and enough wide-open sky to recalibrate your sense of scale.
Walsh has worked with the team at EXP Journeys, a luxury adventure travel company with a gift for turning destinations into experiences, to build itineraries for travelers eager to celebrate a country with landscapes like these.
The adventure begins in Bozeman, where a private guide meets you at the airport for your transfer to Paradise Valley. From here, you’ll finish the journey the way it was always meant to be taken: on horseback, climbing through the hilly Montana terrain to a private luxury camp tucked into the National Forest near Yellowstone. As you hop out of the saddle, don’t worry about saying goodbye to your new riding partner—the horses stay at camp for the duration, so you can ride at any point.
Paradise Valley Luxury Camp was designed to provide access to the most remote, spectacular landscapes in the West and is set up and fully-staffed exclusively for your group. Your accommodations include a purpose-built canvas tent with a king bed, down comforter, hot shower, and private en-suite. Meals are designed by award-winning Executive Chef Shon Foster, tailored to your preferences and whatever the season has to offer.
In the evenings, the impossibly dark night sky becomes the backdrop for stories around the fire, camp games, and, on the second night, a private stargazing session with a local astronomer who will make you feel both small and astonished in equal measure.
Once the sun rises again, the days belong to the land. You might ride out on a cattle drive, pushing a herd across the open range, learning the rodeo skills that have defined this landscape for more than a century. You may get to “cut” an individual from the herd, and you will almost certainly walk away a little bowlegged, with a bit of ranch-hand swagger, knowing something new about both the romance and the challenges of life in this place.
In the afternoon, you’ll harvest honey from local hives as you learn about the agricultural life of the valley. That evening, you’ll hear about the local wolfpacks from a naturalist who has spent years studying predator dynamics in the Yellowstone ecosystem.
“It’s all so Ralph Lauren that a barbecue by the pool may never be enough again.”
By the time you fall asleep under a star-spangled sky, you will have lived more of this country’s story in 12 hours than most people manage in a lifetime of patriotic holidays.
On the morning of day three, your guide will collect you before sunrise to depart for Lamar Valley, the crown jewel of Yellowstone’s wildlife corridor. This living diorama is the best place in North America to spot wolves in the wild. Bison move through the valley in unhurried masses, and grizzlies materialize at the edges of tree lines, while pronghorn antelope streak across the sagebrush flats. Later in the day, you’ll come to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, where the Lower Falls drop 308 feet—more than twice the height of Niagara—into a gorge painted in shades of ochre and cream.
From Yellowstone, you’ll head south to Jackson Hole to spend the remaining nights at Amangani, which reopens this summer after an extensive reimagination. Perched nearly 7,000 feet above sea level on the edge of East Gros Ventre Butte, the property takes its name from the Shoshone word for “peaceful home.” Superior suites come with private balconies with views across the valley to the snow-capped Tetons.
Learn more by contacting locally-based luxury travel consultant Elizabeth Walsh @ thelocalforeigner.
Jackson Hole Biking
Paradise Valley Horses
Adventure awaits. Let’s plan your next unforgettable journey! Book a consultation today.
www.theconstantwayfarer.com | V theconstantwayfarer | ashley@theconstantwayfarer.com
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ARTICLE BY TAYLOR BOWLER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARISSA ROGERS
WHERE
The Past Gets PLAYFUL
“HIS LOVE OF STORYTELLING AND HISTORY EVOLVED INTO A CAREER PAINTING VIVID SCENES FROM AMERICA’S PAST.”
If you’ve ever wished you could step into a storybook of American history, artist Dan Nance is the ultimate tour guide. A painter, diorama builder and animated storyteller, Nance has made a career out of turning history into an experience.
“My wife says I’m leading a Peter Pan life,” he laughs. “I’m always drawn toward storytelling. Saturday morning cartoons, movies like Star Wars, Gremlins, Back to the Future … and I’m a major Disney fan. That activated all my imagination. That was all I wanted to do—create things and make an experience for somebody.”
His love of storytelling and history evolved into a career painting vivid scenes from America’s past. A practice that began with creating dioramas in his garage apartment has found a new home in the former Sushi Guru space in SouthPark.
“Is it a gallery? A museum? A meeting spot?” he asks. “Yes. It’s all of those things.”
CONTINUED >
LOCAL HISTORICAL ARTIST DAN NANCE BRINGS AMERICA’S HISTORY TO LIFE WITH WIT, WONDER AND EPIC ATTENTION TO DETAIL
As America celebrates its 250th birthday this month, we caught up with Nance to get a behind-the-scenes look at his work and hear his playful take on what he enjoys about capturing history.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PERIODS OF HISTORY?
All of them! I painted scenes from the Civil War for 12 years straight. After that, I crossed over to Native Americans. Then I went international and painted Napoleon. Don’t be pigeonholed into one thing.
HOW DID THE DIORAMAS ORIGINATE?
It kicked in during Covid when we were all at home. I was finished with commissions, and to fill the time, I invested in making 3D scenes.
HOW DO YOU BUILD THEM?
I work with epoxy resin, and I like to get into clay. Found objects are fun. The terrain is styrofoam with glue and grass. The mountain range is from a fishtank. The waterfall is shredded ziplock bags. The soldiers are predone pieces that I order. None of them are glued down. It’s all breakdownable.
IF YOU COULD EAVESDROP ON ONE MOMENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
The wigwam where the Native Americans were wondering what settlers were coming over on the Mayflower. I’d love to hear the conversations in their huts that night. Or maybe in a room at NASA, watching the “Hidden Figures” ladies getting the astronauts safely to the moon and back.
WHICH HISTORICAL FIGURE IS THE HARDEST TO CAPTURE AND WHY?
Painting historical figures is a touchy subject. It’s a hero to one person and a villain to another. I’ve painted Washington and Robert E. Lee many times. The whole mission is to paint someone honestly.
WHICH HISTORICAL FIGURE WOULD BE THE WORST STUDIO ASSISTANT?
Napoleon would be a crappy assistant because he couldn’t reach many things. He might actually be the perfect size to set up dioramas, though. But you don’t know what’s under that hat. He might be stealing from me.
CONTINUED >
Nance's Battle of Charlotte diorama
Two pivotal moments in Charlotte’s history come to life: the reading of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and the Battle of Charlotte.
“PAINTING HISTORICAL FIGURES IS A TOUCHY SUBJECT. IT’S A HERO TO ONE PERSON AND A VILLAIN TO ANOTHER.”
THIS OR THAT?
TEA WITH GEORGE WASHINGTON OR BEER WITH BENJAMIN FRANKLIN?
Tea with Washington, beer with Sam Adams, red wine with Franklin in France—and maybe we’ll let Jefferson come over. I’d have a nightcap of brandy with everyone who signed the Meck Dec. And maybe a mint julep or two with Abigail Adams.
PORTRAIT SITTING WITH ABRAHAM LINCOLN OR BATTLEFIELD SKETCHING WITH ULYSSES S. GRANT?
Battlefield!
PAINT THE BOSTON TEA PARTY OR THE CLEANUP THE NEXT MORNING?
I’d rather paint it than clean it up.
A FAMOUS MOMENT OR A FORGOTTEN ONE?
A forgotten moment to bring to life.
PAINT IN SILENCE OR WITH MUSIC BLASTING?
Music, music, music!
PRECISION OR ENERGY?
Energy.
One of Nance’s most celebrated works, Ambush!
HOW WOULD YOU CAPTURE THE QUEEN CITY IN A SINGLE SCENE?
I’ve actually helped create it with Charlotte Center City Partners. We did the Battle of Charlotte sign on South Tryon Street and the Charlotte Liberty Walk with pavers that take you to Revolutionary War sites around town.
HOW WILL YOU COMMEMORATE THE UNITED STATES SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL?
My update for the 250th celebration will be a new original painting commemorating the second time North Carolina proved itself first in freedom with the signing of the Halifax Resolves on April 12, 1776.
Dan Nance Historical Art Studio
6601 Carnegie Blvd. DanNance.com
Nance in his element. He carefully adjusts every figure in a diorama to achieve the precise angle and dynamic composition that defines both his threedimensional work and his paintings.
That Fits Your Needs
Behind the Lens with
NICK MELE
Inside the whimsical world where sophistication never takes itself too seriously
Nick Mele is a renowned lifestyle, fashion and art photographer but also a storyteller. The Washington, D.C.-raised and Palm Beach-based photographer, who has appeared in Vanity Fair, The New York Times and Town and Country, captures luxury lifestyle with a twist, bringing elements of whimsy into every image. After a recent visit to Charlotte for an evening with Nick Mele at The Grove in Myers Park, he shared his insights on what happens behind the camera, what he sees and how he thinks.
ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICK MELE
WHAT DO YOU THINK DRAWS PEOPLE INTO YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY?
I think people are drawn to photographs that feel like frames from a larger story. I want people to wonder what happened five minutes before and what’s about to happen five minutes after. There’s also a balance between aspiration and humor. The images can feel glamorous, but there’s usually some detail that undercuts the seriousness of it all. I think people respond to that because life is like that. Even in the most beautiful settings, there’s always something a little absurd happening.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE “THE SHOT”?
I almost never know in the moment. I’m typically trying as many ideas as possible, improvising and hoping when I sit down to edit, at least half of them worked. A lot of my process is experimentation. Sometimes the image I thought would be the strongest ends up being completely forgettable and the frame I barely noticed at the time becomes the favorite.
HOW DID YOU DISCOVER YOUR “VOICE” AS A PHOTOGRAPHER?
I drew inspiration from my family, my friends, the communities I was lucky enough to grow up around and later become part of. The themes that appear in my work now were always there in some form: leisure, family dynamics, social rituals, eccentricity, tradition, glamour, humor.
Visually, it was a much slower process of trial and error. Early on, I studied other artists—not just photographers, but painters, filmmakers, interior designers, even old advertisements. At a certain point, I stopped trying to make images like other people and leaned harder into my own sense of humor and perspective. The hardest part is staying true to that voice once you have found it.
WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO SHOOT AND WHY?
Newport, R.I., is probably my favorite because it feels wonderfully frozen in time. A dinner party can feel exactly the same as it did 50 years ago. The houses, the traditions, the slightly eccentric social rituals, the old station wagons filled with sandy towels and even sandier dogs. There’s a visual richness to it. Weathered shingles, old sailboats, peeling paint, grand estates beside slightly ramshackle beach cottages. It feels cinematic without trying too hard. I love the Northeast in the summer. There’s
something nostalgic and deeply American about old docks, Fourth of July parades, children running around unsupervised until dark, and families returning to the same places generation after generation.
WHERE HAVE YOU WANTED TO SHOOT THAT YOU HAVEN’T YET?
I’d love to photograph the English countryside or Italian coast during the off-season. Not necessarily the glamorous version people imagine, but the quieter moments behind it. I’m always interested in places where tradition, beauty and absurdity coexist naturally.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE ANIMALS TO INCLUDE?
The boring answer is dogs because they are easy to work with and have so much personality that comes through, even in photos. Horses are wonderful because they bring scale, elegance and a little danger. Monkeys are hilarious because they immediately destabilize any sense of sophistication in the room.
Animals are useful because they interrupt perfection.
WHAT’S THE MOST DANGEROUS ANIMAL SHOOT YOU’VE DONE? THE FUNNIEST?
I’ve worked with alligators, exotic birds, monkeys, bunnies, horses, camels and, most
recently, an alpaca. The alligator was probably the one where everyone was most aware they could lose a limb, but we take all the safety precautions. The funniest moments are when the subjects try desperately to remain elegant while absolute chaos unfolds just outside the frame—mainly because not many of these animals are potty-trained.
HOW DID YOU JOIN FORCES WITH CHARLOTTE DESIGNERS AND CONTENT CREATORS YOU’VE WORKED WITH? CHARLOTTE LUCAS? ROXY OWENS? OTHERS?
You naturally gravitate toward people who share a similar visual language. Charlotte Lucas and Roxy Owens both have this fearless relationship with color, pattern, theatricality and personality that I immediately connected with. Their work feels layered and joyful and unapologetically expressive, which is something I always respond to.
WHAT ARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF CHARLOTTE AND THE STYLE SCENE HERE?
Charlotte has this interesting blend of Southern polish and growing creative energy. There’s a traditional sensibility to a lot of the style here, but it doesn’t feel stiff. People seem increasingly willing to embrace personality and boldness in interiors and fashion rather than everything looking overly minimal and interchangeable.
I also think there’s an appreciation in Charlotte for entertaining and home culture that reminds me of older Southern traditions. It also reminds me a lot of Washington, D.C., where I grew up, and that makes me happy.
Kristen Schonwald, Roxy Owens, Founder of Society Social, Nick Mele, Alexandra Powell and Alan Dale
Photo by Christina Hussey
Liz Brown, Publisher of Queen City Lifestyle, with photographer Nick Mele and Stephanie Muhs, Founder of The Grove
Photo by Christina Hussey
ARTICLE BY KALI KASPRZYK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
MAKEUP BY MIKAYLA CRANE
The 10% Target Mindset
Jen Cohen ON THE PRACTICE OF ASKING FOR WHAT YOU WANT
Winnipeg in the winter, and a 17-year-old waits 45 minutes in the cold for Keanu Reeves. Her fingers are numb. She is not there for an autograph. She is there to ask him to appear in her audition tape for MuchMusic, Canada’s MTV. When he finally agrees, she writes her number on a gum wrapper with a borrowed lip liner.
He calls days later.
That 17-year-old was Jen Cohen — fitness expert, host of the Habits & Hustle podcast, and best-selling author. She has built a career on the premise her frostbitten afternoon proved. She calls the practice the 10% Target: 10 attempts at whatever you want most in life.
The premise is simple. Most people never make one attempt. Almost nobody makes two. The math works in favor of the person who keeps going.
The top-rated Habits & Hustle podcast has logged hundreds of conversations with high performers and the people who study what the body does to the mind. Her TEDx talk, The Secret to Getting Anything You Want in Life, has traveled widely inside Fortune 500 sales-training rooms. On the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Cohen sits down to share the working rules that are the foundation of her latest book, Bigger, Better, Bolder.
“You have to be the CEO of your own life.”
FEATURING JEN COHEN
Discover the full 10% Target Mindset framework.
1 2
MAKE TEN ATTEMPTS
The door opens, or another door does. The unmade attempt and the refused one leave you in the same place — except one of them teaches you something.
STACK THE DECK
Cohen frames her habits as a wager: How do I stack the deck so I win more than I lose? The workout happens first, and the food decisions follow. The email follow-up gets sent, and the answer arrives. The choices compound in a single direction.
3
DISCIPLINE IS A PRACTICED SKILL, NOT AN INHERITANCE
No one is born with it. The people who look disciplined are running a routine they have rehearsed long enough that it no longer feels like effort. The reps are the skill. Miss them, and the skill fades, the same as any other.
4
SELF-TALK ONLY WORKS WHEN THE BODY BACKS IT UP
Confidence does not arrive by repeating the word. It arrives after the body has done the thing — the workout finished, the cold walk endured, the email sent. The mind takes its cues from what the body proves it can do. Talk follows action, not the other way around.
5
NEVER MISS A MONDAY
The first decision sets the slope of the rest. Skip the Monday workout, and the rest of the week tends to follow. Hold the line on Monday, and the slope tilts the other way.
Explore What Confidence Looks Like on You
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A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
EVERY THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS THROUGH SEPTEMBER River Jam 2026
5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy
The U.S. Whitewater Center is home to more than 80 live outdoor concerts from May through September. The River Jam series is held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, featuring local and national touring bands highlighting Americana, Roots and Soul/R&B sounds. The concerts are free and begin at 7 p.m. They usually run until 10 except July 4th weekend.
JULY 3RD – 4TH
Fourth of July Celebration
5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy 9:30 AM
The U.S. National Whitewater Center no longer has July 4th fireworks but hosts a two-day Independence Day festival July 3-4, featuring a “Tread, White & Blue” 5K Trail Race Saturday, live music performances both days, multiple yoga sessions and outdoor adventure activities. Derrick Dove & The Peacekeepers and Andy Thomas play Friday, Zach Person and Eddie 9V play Saturday.
JULY 4TH
Front Porch
2135 Thrift Road | 11:00 AM
Front Porch (formerly Front Porch Sundays®), the monthly pop-up market in the FreeMoreWest neighborhood west of Uptown, is open July 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It has organically grown to feature more than 100 local businesses in an open air market, with multiple food trucks, mobile shops, live music, photo ops and fun happenings.
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We are a premier luxury home builder in Charlotte, NC, specializing in crafting architecturally distinctive, high-end residences in the city’s most prestigious neighborhoods. From Myers Park and Eastover to SouthPark, Matthews, and Country Club Heights, we deliver one-of-a-kind custom homes tailored to our clients’ visions and lifestyles. Our team collaborates with some of Charlotte’s top architects, designers, and artisans.
GROWING JOYFUL SMILES
Charlotte Knights
Truist Field, 324 South Mint Street
The minor league Knights are home for two six-game stretches, July 7-12 against Nashville, and July 21-26 against Norfolk. Friday night fireworks are July 10 and 24 and on Sundays fans runs the bases, June 12 and 26. The Knights are on the road July 4th but Truist Field is hosting SkyShow with the Charlotte Symphony, followed by fireworks.
JULY 24TH – AUGUST 2ND
Queen’s Feast: Summer Edition
Charlotte and surrounding counties 6:00 PM
Now in its 18th year, the semi-annual Queen’s Feast promotion has enticed residents and visitors to explore hundreds of restaurants throughout the region. From July 24 through August 2, participating restaurants will offer three-course, prix fixe menus priced to entice and curated to showcase their best. In early July, participating restaurants and their menus will be available on CharlotteRestaurantWeek.com.
JULY 29TH
2026 MLS All Star Game presented by Chime
Bank of America Stadium, 800 South Mint Street | 8:00 PM
The best players in Major League Soccer, or at least those available after the World Cup, will convene in Charlotte to play against an all-star team from Liga MX of Mexico. The MLS team will be coached by Charlotte FC’s Dean Smith. Players will also compete in a skills challenge on Tuesday, July 28 at Truist Field at 8 p.m.
if you eat one thing
An 18-piece Nigiri Showcase Brings Flavor, Artistry and a Touch of Drama to The Table at Oshen
When Randy and Cinthya Garcia opened Oshen in October 2024, they wanted to fill the void of a family-friendly sushi spot in their own neighborhood. Immediately, South Charlotteans welcomed them with open arms, and today they operate a thriving restaurant that serves lunch and dinner six days a week.
The menu features sushi, nigiri, shareable plates and craft cocktails, with Japanese techniques and flavors throughout. One highlight is the Nigiri Canoe: an 18-piece nigiri sampler, which is raw fish served atop hand-pressed sushi rice. The sampler includes three pieces each of their six nigiri offerings and is presented in a long wooden “canoe.”
THE INSPIRATION
“The inspiration came from wanting to give guests the opportunity to experience our entire nigiri program,” says Cinthya, co-founder and owner of Garcia Hospitality Group.
“The canoe naturally became the perfect vessel because it complements the coastal-inspired identity of Oshen.”
THE WOW FACTOR
While sushi chefs prepare the nigiri behind the bar, they save the final touches for the table. When presented, the server finishes selected pieces with a touch of salt or a kiss of fire. “Guests pause the moment it arrives,” says Cinthya. “We hear lots of ‘wow’ reactions. Phones are pulled out immediately for photos. It’s definitely a show-stopper.”
THE NIGIRI
If you love raw fish and a little taste of everything, the Nigiri Canoe is for you. Current nigiri offerings include tuna, salmon, yellowtail, scallop, eel and nobuaki. The only challenge will be selecting your favorite.
ARTICLE BY ALLIE PAPAJOHN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY RODARTE’S CORNER MEDIA
“The wooden backdrop allows each nigiri piece’s vibrant colors to stand out while creating a dramatic moment when it arrives table-side due to its size.”
Caravaggio | Revolution: Baroque Masterpieces from the Roberto Longhi Foundation is generously presented by M.A. Rogers and Bank of America with additional support from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. Individual sponsorship support for this exhibition is kindly provided by Betsy and Alfred Brand; Jane and Hugh McColl, Pat Rodgers, and Leigh-ann and Martin Sprock; Beverly and Jim Hance, Anna McKeithen Webersen, Laura McKeithen, Susan and Loy McKeithen, Marshelette and Milton Prime, and Rocky and Curtis Trenkelbach; Sarah and Tim Belk, Mary and Charles Bowman, and Jo Ann and Joddy Peer; Marty and Weston Andress, Mary Lou and Jim Babb, and Robin and Bill Branstrom. The Mint Museum is supported, in part, by the City of Charlotte and the North Carolina Arts Council. Caravaggio | Revolution is organized by the Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi and Civita Mostre e Musei, in collaboration with The Mint Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. IMAGE: Valentin de Boulogne, known as Le Valentin (French, 1591–1632). Denial of St. Peter (detail), 1615–17, oil on canvas. Florence, Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi. Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts | 500 South Tryon Street | Charlotte, NC 28202 | 704.337.2000 | mintmuseum.org | @themintmuseum
