QC Exclusive No. 43 - 2017 - Issue 7 - The Arts & Culture Issue

T H E Q U I N T ES S EN T I A L C H A R LOT T E M AG A Z I N E

portrait of a city The Arts & Culture Issue skyline photography | ben long | fall works | tom stanley burk uzzle | charlotte symphony | whitley hamlin | enfoque

oct 2017 no . 43

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THE EXCLUSI V ES no. 43 | october 2017 features

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Unstill Life Charlotte Symphony’s most storied instruments

A Modern Study Of An Ancient Art Ben Long is an inimitable classic fresco painter

Back In Focus LaCa Projects reopens with a collaborative new photo exhibition

Burk Uzzle From Woodstock to the new South, a portrait of the man behind the lens

Portrait Of A City The talented photographers capturing the Queen City

Cover: Charlotte Skyline

by Kyo H. Nam | @dailykyo | @kyohnam

Tracks and skyline from Matheson Bridge

by Kyo H. Nam @dailykyo | @kyohnam

THE DEPA RTMEN TS

47 THE CULTURE FINE ART / PERFORMING ARTS / STYLE / WELLNESS

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Shaping Art Tom Stanley’s creative abstract canvases

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The Yoga Studio That Isn’t Lindsay Cunningham shares yoga with the city

Hope For The Ballet Charlotte Ballet’s new Artistic Director Hope Muir

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Stories In Stillness The Christoper Clamp exhibit at Jerald Melberg

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Pretty Passionate Lindsey Regan Thorne has dedicated her career to women’s confidence

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Ingrained Style The flair of Queen City Style’s Whitley Hamlin

THE SPREAD RESTAURANTS / CHEFS / RECIPES / COCKTAILS

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See You At Sophia’s Uptown’s new upscale lounge

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Food With Soul Tim Groody’s new Ramen Soul

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Heritage Beets Paul Verica’s painterly dish

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Crepe Cellar’s Benedict Salmon for brunch?

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Oak’s Pork Pasta A delicious dish in South Park

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Hyde’s Cascade Draft Coffee Taphouse meets cafe in this cocktail

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Little Spoon’s Antidote A ginger root cocktail cures all

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THE DEPA RTMEN TS

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THE EXPLORED

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THE NOTE

THE ARTS & CULTURE ISSUE In my family, the arts have always been important. During most of my youth, my mother taught ballet and modern dance.

Have a conversation with my grandma and you’re guaranteed to hear about the good ol’ days spent wandering around NYC museums or taking in a Broadway show. She’s been telling the same stories about The Big Apple’s arts scene my entire life and they never get old. My father excelled at ballroom dancing, and spent nearly a decade traveling the world on cruise ships as a dance host. For him, there’s nothing better than doing the tango while floating down the Amazon. My Uncle Ed was a lithographer, illustrator, and photographer. His subjects were mostly birds, and nature in general. Then, there’s my pop who’s very musically inclined, although his instruments of choice can be, at times, a little on the abrasive side: drums and bagpipes.

For me, it was design that was always captivating. However, over the last year I made a concerted effort to get outside of my design comfort zone and delve a little deeper into the various arts that the rest of my family have long appreciated. I went to my first Broadway show and I liked it so much I went to a second only several months later. I would have to say that live performance at that skill level is truly one of the most impressive things I’ve ever witnessed humans do. I had a chance to visit the triumverate: The Met, The Guggenheim, and MoMa. It was unbelievable to see the work of renowned artists like Dali, Winslow Homer, and Picasso, and lesser known prodigies like Albert Bierstadt and Robert Blum. Just standing in a building like Frank Lloyd Wright’s spiraling Guggenheim is an expe-

22 • QCEXCLUSIVE.COM • OCT 2017

rience I won’t soon forget. I visited the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and saw hundreds of works by the legend himself.

I even saw the Winged Victory in the Louvre in Paris. It was a true crash course on world-class culture.

The biggest lesson—and I’ll admit the biggest surprise as well—I learned during this arts crash course was to not overlook our area. North Carolina as a whole is producing art at a world-class level right now. Some of my favorite cultural experiences over the past year came right here in the Old North State. Talking with fresco painter Ben Long in his dim and very moody Asheville studio was an honor. Seeing new works from local talents like Stephen Wilson, Damian Stamer, and Charles Williams was so exciting. Witnessing Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s final year at Charlotte Ballet was incredible, and we are so very excited about its future with Hope Muir at the helm. Sitting alongside our photographer Jamey Price in the pits of an Opera Carolina performance was a moment to remember. Hearing about a local 14-year-old street photographer doing whatever it takes to get “the shot” was so inspiring. Seeing Matt Moore and Matt Hooker paint intricate murals on public and private walls throughout the city made me feel grateful to live in a place that embraces the value of art. And that is what this issue is about: This issue is a portrait of our city and the talented people making it a hub for arts and culture in the South.

Best, Jon-Paul Grice, Editor

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40 | Spirit Of Rosedale 42 | Fahrenheit 451 44 | Cyrano 34 | Finding Neverland 36 | Breakaway Festival 38 | Chili Cook-Off

Fall Works explores the exciting evolution of Charlotte Ballet, starting with a look to what the future holds, with Johan Inger’s Walking Mad. Described as a “stylistic game changer”

by Artistic Director Hope Muir, Johan’s choreographic talent was first discovered by contemporary ballet choreographer Jiri Kylian, whose work Charlotte Ballet has performed over the past several seasons.

A tribute to Charlotte Ballet’s legacy, Fall Works features George Balanchine’s Apollo, staged by legendary Balanchine dancer and Kennedy Center Honoree Patricia McBride.

Elsa Canasta, a dark, funny, sexy evocation of the world of Cole Porter, choreographed by Javier de Frutos, makes an exhilarating finale to the performance. Featuring a collaboration with Charlotte’s Jazz Arts Initiative and performed with a live jazz singer, Elsa Canasta was originally created with Artistic Director Hope Muir and holds a special place in her career. charlotteballet.org

THE EV EN TIST

Fall Works October 19 - 21, 2017

32 | Artwalk

fall 2017 editor’s pick

THE EV EN TIST

Fall 2017 EDITOR’S PICKS

10/27/17 Karen Hollingsworth shaingallery.com CONSUMING IDENTITY

9/26/17 - Ashli Quesinberry Stokes will be hosting a talk at UNC-Charlotte about Southern food and its ability to unite people and dissolve racial prejudices. The talk will be based on her book Consuming Identity: The Role of Food in Redefining the South. uncc.edu ARTWALK & JAZZFEST

9/30/17 - For 32 years now, the city of Matthews has been putting on a grand art show for its community. This year they aim to reach even higher: The festival will bring more arts and jazz to the city than ever. matthewschamber.org GREAT GRAPES WINE & FOOD FEST

9/30/17 - Come to SouthPark Mall and taste the wine from over 20 wineries at the Great Grapes Wine and Food Festival. Let your children play in the Kids

32 • QCEXCLUSIVE.COM • OCT 2017

11/4-9/17 Susan McAlister hidellbrooks.com

Area and enjoy live music along with your wine. Tickets for adults are $33, and children 12 and younger are free. uncorkthefun.com LOCAL FLAVORS OF NODA

9/30/17 - NoDa, Charlotte’s Historic Arts District, is bustling with a vibrant nightlife and live music scene, creative eateries, colorful art, and thriving craft breweries. Connect with the entrepreneurs, chefs, and artisans who make NoDa their home and find out how their passion is transformed into the unique flavors that compose the area. Gather around the area’s tables with chef-driven comfort foods, stroll along historic streets full of mill town character, and go behind-the-scenes at a craft brewery. feastfoodtours.com SIERRA NEVADA OKTOBERFEST

9/30/17 - Sierra Nevada’s Oktoberfest returns to draw out thousands of lederhosen-clad beer lovers. Visit for

11/4-9/17 Cyrano operacarolina.org

an evening featuring their Oktoberfest collaboration beer, a German feast, musical performances, live glassblowing demonstrations, and more. sierranevada.com THE SIMON AND GARFUNKEL STORY

10/01/17 - Visit for a night of music and learn about folk’s most influential duo, Simon & Garfunkel. Original footage will be accompanied by a live band performing the duo’s best songs. Tickets are $25, and the show will be held at Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts. thesimonandgarfunkelstory.com THE STORY OF LONDON TEA

10/01/17 - Learn about the city of London at the Charlotte Museum of History through a presentation that details the history of London from its beginnings to present day. charlottemuseum.org

THE EV EN TIST

Fall 2017 TASTE OF THE MINT

Discover wonder in Charlotte

10/03/17 - Join the Mint Museum in the center of Uptown Charlotte for an evening of art, food and cocktails. In a brand-new version, Taste of the Mint will feature a collaboration with its long-term partner, Evoke of Le Meridien Charlotte Hotel. Admission for this event ranges from $25–$50. mintmuseum.org ART IN MIND

10/05/17 - The Mint Museum will showcase its own PhotoVice photography along with other noteworthy artists to highlight the benefits of creating and experiencing art. The event will raise support for mental health with the Mental Health America of Central Carolinas. mhacentralcarolinas.org FOOTHILLS FOLK ART FESTIVAL

Explore the wonders of science through extraordinary exhibits, live animal encounters, daily shows and largerthan-life IMAX® Dome films. With explosive experiments and hands-on activities, there’s something for the wonderer in everyone.

10/07/17 - Join downtown Newton, NC for the 2nd annual Foothills Folk Art Festival. The festival will showcase a variety of local and regional contemporary folk artists. Artists will have their work for sale along with demos, activities for kids, live music, food from surrounding restaurants, food trucks, beer gardens, and more. foothillsfolkartfestival.com FINDING NEVERLAND

10/03/17 - 10/08/17 - Directed by Tony-winner Diane Paulus and based on the critically-acclaimed, Academy Award-winning film starring Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland tells the story of the creation of one of the world’s most beloved characters, Peter Pan. Relive your childhood at the Belk Theatre at Blumenthal Performing Arts. blumenthalarts.org MILL VILLAGE

discoveryplacescience.org 301 N Tryon St | Charlotte NC 28202

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10/11/17 - The Charlotte Symphony orchestra will present this original performance by David Crowe, Mill Village, at the Gettys Art Center. The piece was written to honor the men,

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THE EV EN TIST

Fall 2017

An elegantly curated experience

women, and children who worked in the mills, and to acknowledge the impact they had on the community. yorkcountyarts.org BREAKAWAY MUSIC FESTIVAL

10/14/17 - The Music Factory brings you the Breakaway Music Festival, headlined by famed electronic dance music artist, Zedd. Zedd, who brought us top hits like “Clarity”, and “I Want You to Know”, will be accopmanied by Lil Dicky, Super Duper Kyle, Black Bear, and Cheat Codes. breakawayfestival.com RESCUE ME 5K

10/14/17 - Join Unknown Brewing as they host their third annual RescueMe 5K. Proceeds from the 5K benefit their program, Operation Sidekick, which is dedicated to training rescued service dogs to veterans battling Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. There will be games, food, vendors, contests, beer, and much more to benefit both the American Pit Bull Foundation and Operation Sidekick. americanpitbullfoundation.com

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10/14/17 - Join the city of Huntersville for their 5th annual Fall Festival. Enjoy live entertainment from HC Oaks Band, Coddle Creek, and Tobacco Road. Games for all ages will be available, and you can build a scarecrow, visit the pumpkin patch, and much more. Food trucks and arts and craft vendors will also be present. Admission is free. huntersvillefallfest.com 42ND ANNUAL UNC CHARLOTTE IN-

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TERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

10/14/17 - The UNC Charlotte International Festival is a celebration of people, places, and culture. Travel to different booths staffed by UNCC International students and Charlotte’s international community. Food, music, clothes, arts and crafts, and much more will be on display at this event. ifest.uncc.edu

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THE EV EN TIST

Fall 2017 8TH

ANNUAL

DILWORTH/SOUTH

END CHILI COOK-OFF

10/15/17 - Come out to the Design Center for an afternoon of chili tasting from the best local restaurants in Charlotte. Individual cooking teams will compete to have the best chili in the Queen City. Live music, bounce houses, pumpkin painting, local breweries, and more will all be present. dsechilicookoff.org THE RED SHOES

10/17/17 - 10/22/17 - Based on the film by Michael Powell and Eric Pressburger, The Red Shoes is a beloved fairytale and an Academy Award-winning movie that has dazzled audiences for generations with the story of one girl’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world. blumenthalarts.org CHEFS FOR KIDS’ CANCER

10/19/17 - Celebrated chefs from the Carolinas and 500 guests will all be in attendance at the Fillmore for the 3rd annual Chefs for Kids’ Cancer.

The event raises funds for childhood cancer research. Chefs will prepare hors d’oeuvres and local bakeries will be cooking up their best cookies. cookiesforkidscancer.org ADULT STUDIO FIGURE DRAWING

10/25/17 - This series of evening classes will explore both traditional and experimental approaches to figure drawing, using a variety of media. The classes will be held in the studio and in the museum galleries. mintmuseum.org SOUTHERN HIGHLAND CRAFT GUILD CRAFT FAIR

10/20/17 - 10/22/17 - Each year the Southern Highland Craft Guild hosts regionally-acclaimed craft fairs in the heart of downtown Asheville. Known for their vibrant marketplace representing a juried selection of eleven craft mediums, the fairs draw in nearly 20,000 visitors each year. This year, the fair

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Traditional in design, innovative in implementation.

This is the Latin way.

Charlotte Latin School was founded in 1970 to create an inclusive environment where academic excellence is encouraged, leadership is cultivated, liberal arts are valued and phonics-based reading is essential. We have educated thousands of students in the importance of learning, citizenship, service to others, hard work and Honor Above All.

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THE EV EN TIST

Fall 2017 will honor their legacy with several new elements that focus on cultivating craft in our daily lives. southernhighlandguild.org SPIRITS OF ROSEDALE

10/27/17 - 10/28/17 - Join in this Halloween as the Spirits of Historic Rosedale Plantation come back to life. The Spirits of Rosedale takes visitors on a night tour through the plantation home’s first floor, kitchen basement, and gardens. Rosedale’s theatrical production team presents this family-friendly Halloween production appropriate for audiences ages 6 and up. Tours start every 30 minutes beginning at 7pm. historicrosedale.org MOZART & BEETHOVEN

10/27/17 - 10/28/17 - Guest conductor Hugh Wolff joins forces with pianist and Harvard music professor Robert Levin to bring Mozart’s Concerto for Piano, No. 23 to life, alongside Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1. charlottesymphony.org THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS WITH ANGIE CLINTON

10/28/17 - Paint and craft your holiday worries away in this fun class offered by Angie Clinton at the Center for the Arts. You’ll be able to create a trio of holiday-inspired projects that are the perfect addition for any winter holiday décor. Participants will paint a “Give Thanks” wooden plaque, craft a beautiful centerpiece for a Thanksgiving table, and paint a wooden plaque with a pine bough and red ornament. yorkcountyarts.org 2017 QUEEN CITY ARTS & CRAFTS

2902 Selwyn Avenue 28209 | Charlotte, NC 28207 www.tinyclt.com | @tiny4children www.maisonette.com

40 • QCEXCLUSIVE.COM • OCT 2017

10/28/17 - The 2017 Queen City Arts & Crafts Expo will feature 50 vendors from the Charlotte Metropolitan area. They will all showcase their respective arts and crafts companies. Food trucks, music, and fun will round out the familyfriendly free event. carolehoefenerctr.org

Craig Alan, Up is Down, on board, 40” x 40”

Craig Alan, Motivo, oil on canvas, 48” x 60”

@PictureHouseGallery @picture_house_gallery

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THE EV EN TIST

Fall 2017 WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S

10/28/17 - The Charlotte Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. The walk is held annually in more than 600 communities and 14 locations in the Western Carolina region. Join the city of Charlotte to support a great cause. act.alz.org CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL

10/29/17 - Take part in this classic Chinese tradition with the beautiful Daniel Stowe as the background. dsbg.org JAZZ BRUNCH AT RI RA

10/29/17 - With a full brunch spread and a “build your own” bloody and mule bar, you might think you’ve got everything you need for a killer Sunday morning. Add in live jazz, too?

It's Heaven. rira.com/charlotte NC YOGA BAR AT THE MINT

10/31/17 - Enjoy a one-hour yoga class with NC Yoga Bar in one of the most beautiful settings for your practice in the city. After, take in the art all around you. mintmuseum.org FAHRENHEIT 451

11/2/17 - 11/11/17 - This powerful drama directed by Charles La Borde and playing at Duke Energy Theater at Spirit Square is based on Ray Bradbury’s internationally acclaimed masterwork of 20th century literature set in a bleak, dystopian future. blumenthalarts.org LET THEM SOAR 5K

11/04/17 - Walk or run to help raise funds to operate Recreational Day, School Day Out, and the summer programs that the Exceptional Foundation of Charlotte offers to individuals with disabilities in our community.

The 5K will also provide scholarships for those in financial need. letthemsoar5k.racesonline.com

42 • QCEXCLUSIVE.COM • OCT 2017

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THE EV EN TIST

Fall 2017 CYRANO

11/04/17 - Cyrano is an opera in three acts by David DiChiera and a libretto in French by Bernard Uzan. It’s based on the play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand.

The opera premiered in 2007 at the Michigan Opera Theatre followed by performances at the Opera Company of Philadelphia and at the Florida Grand Opera. operacarolina.org ART OF READING PUBLIC TOUR

WILLIAM IVEY LONG:

COSTUME DESIGNS 2007–2016

23 SEPTEMBER 2017 – 3 JUNE 2018 MINT MUSEUM UPTOWN at Levine Center for the Arts mintmuseum.org | #TheMintMuseum

Exhibition presented to the Charlotte community with generous support from Wells Fargo Private Bank.

Additional support provided by the Mint Museum Auxiliary, Friends of William Ivey Long, and Friends of Fashion. Exhibition organized by The Mint Museum.

William Ivey Long in his studio with inspiration boards for The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again, 2016. Photograph by Jonathan Becker

WHENEVER WHEREVER & HOWEVER YOU WANT US WE’RE THERE FOR YOU

11/05/17 - Are you a fan of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice? If so, participate in a discussion about this classic tale. After the discussion, take a docent-led tour of the Portals to the Past: British Ceramics exhibition. See selected works of art that help bring to life the historic events, cultural influences, and lifestyles represented in this work. mintmuseum.org GOBSMACKED!

11/11/17 - This next-generation A cappella show redefines the limits of the human voice. Featuring the reigning world champion beatboxer Ball-Zee and an international cast of world-class vocalists, GOBSMACKED! weaves stories through all forms of A cappella from traditional street corner harmonies to cutting edge multi-track live looping. blumenthalarts.org HARVEST DAY

11/18/17 - It’s time to celebrate the harvest season with the Schiele Museum at an authentic 18th-century farm. Witness amazing fall festivities as hearth cooks and bakers prepare a traditional meal featuring recipes from the early 1700s. shielemuseum.org Water & Coffee Home | Office | Anywhere www.diamondsprings.com 800.715.2286

44 • QCEXCLUSIVE.COM • OCT 2017

To post your upcoming Charlotte event here, contact us by email info@qcexclusive.com

Tom Stanley’s canvases present an abstract rendering of a deeply human type of creativity.

words SUNNY HUBLER photos courtesy TOM STANLEY

T H E C U LT U R E

47 | Shaping Art 54 | Hope For The Ballet 58 | Stories In Stillness 62 | Ingrained Style 66 | The Yoga Stuido That Isn’t 70 | Pretty Passionate

SHAPING ART

THE CULTUR E

Musings

This Page: Portrait by Terry Rouche. Red, White and Black #1 - acrylic on canvas, 48” X 69”, 2010, photo of piece by Dustin Shores. PreviousPage: Sketches #2 acrylic on canvas, 48” X 98”, 2011, photo of piece by Dustin Shores.

Tom Stanley’s art deals primarily in dreamy abstractions, but the rest of his pursuits deal wholly in the—dare we say—bureaucratic real world. A professional artist, he is also a longtime academic administrator. That dichotomy is one that challenges him at times­—so many, he says, of the artists he most admires never attended arts school or boiled creativity down into quantifiable terms... But navigating dichotomies is what Tom Stanley is all about.

The North Carolina-born artist currently lives in Rock Hill, SC. He’s the former chair of the Department of Fine Arts at Winthrop University, with an M.F.A. in Painting from the University of South Carolina. Stanley has also been acting as a faculty member at academic institutions across the U.S. for years.

The pull he feels to the art world began very young, when he was given an oil paint set for a Christmas gift. Though he never took an art class before college, he did take mechanical drawing and architectural drawing, an experience that was nothing short of formative.

“It’s hard for anyone to deny that what happens when you’re very young has a tremendous impact on what happens when you continue to grow,” Stanley says.

His work now deals largely in geometrics, in a mainly black, white, and gray palette. His repeated use of sharp angles and meticulous lines reflects that early mechanical drawing. Now, Stanley often uses the sgraffito technique, a texture-heavy process of scraping away paint to reveal previously painted layers below. “I draw with paint,” he says, “rather than paint with paint.”

Your work is abstract, so tell us: What ‘real world’ things inspire you?

I think man-made structures, because I’m always making them also. When I’m working on a series, I’m really building those works so I look at them as “manmade” in many respects. They’re based upon man-made objects and so a lot of my work reflects that idea of something that’s been constructed.

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Your work is certainly abstract, but do you consider yourself an Impressionist?

No, no. I don’t think I’m a part of anything. There are a lot of things I’m interested in, so I don’t want to be pigeonholed.

What’s your favorite color to work with?

Black. A lot of my work is dominated by black or monochromatic colors. In large

“I’m able to work with my hands and my eyes and my thinking all at once and use images that have meaning to me.” part, that’s because I’m more interested in the shape, the definition of the shape, and the edge, and the point of that is in respect to my interest in mechanical drawing. I am interested in the image as much as the color. I admit it, I’m not a colorist. But I do enjoy using it from time to time… Black and white—I like the contrast of those elements.

Do you have a preferred medium?

My preferred work is acrylic on canvas.

Working in an environment where you have one job as a faculty member and administrator takes up a lot of time, so I set up projects for myself that allow me to go in, do something for an hour and then go to another job and come back later, so it allows me to continually work in some fashion, even though I’m not standing in front of the canvas all day long.

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THE CULTUR E

Musings

Clockwise from top left: Scratching the surface Installation - Photo courtesy of Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, photo by Rick Rhodes. Untitled painting - acrylic on canvas, 48” X 98”, photo by Dustin Shores. Drawing Across the Sea - acrylic on 300# Arches, 22” X 30”, photo by Alexis Howard.

Modern Model Paintings, Room 108, acrylic on 300# Arches, 30” X 22”, photo by Dustin Shores.

“It’s hard for anyone to deny that what happens when you’re very young has a tremendous impact on what happens when you continue to grow."

Can you describe your creative process a little bit?

When I work, I usually think of works in a series. I will begin the process by constructing or building a series of structures that are all the same size or work

on paper that’s all the same size, and then I will put the first painted mark on one, and then go to the next and the next, almost like an assembly line. I think that that was influenced by another early job I had when I worked in the fashion industry in New York.

I’ve noticed there are recurring figures in your work, like houses and boats.

I’ve always had an interest in boats. I’m not quite sure why. One thing that really solidified that interest was my genealogical research to find out something about my grandfather who drowned in the Mississippi in 1920. I tried to go to New Orleans to try and find some information on him… New Orleans is one of the largest ports in the world and that impressed me a great deal, seeing those ships just floating. What I enjoy about houses is, generally speaking, we all live in one. Two houses are important to me: I had an accident and herniated a disc

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in my back in the 80’s. During the healing process, I began drawing rooms of the house I grew up in. I found that very therapeutic, and it also returned me to my interest of mechanical drawing because those were the tools I used when I was lying with my herniated disc. Also, my mother once ran a boarding house, so I would meet a lot of different types of people who would come and go from the boarding house and I think it impacted a lot of my thinking to this day.

Is there a message you try to convey through your art?

I think the most important thing that you can walk away with is to not lose sight of working with your hands and your eyes. It creates a different type of intelligence altogether. If nothing else, if someone enjoys my work, I hope that’s one message they leave with: We all have that ability to think with our hands and eyes. It’s in our DNA, so we have to

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Musings 12 Panel Drawing, acrylic on canvas, 76” X 102”, photo

by Alexis Howard.

continue to find ways to utilize that and it might be in new ways we haven’t thought of before… it’s what humanizes us. People have [created art] with their hands for thousands of years.

Last thing—you’re an academic arts administrator. Have you found that that has had an influence on your art at all?

Where you are and what you do has an impact on the work and I accept that fact.

I always wanted to integrate what I was doing into everything else I was doing so [academia] didn’t become a separate life. I wanted it to all work together. Plus, I so enjoy being a department chair. I love the students, and I’m also always very fond of artists who are not academically-based. Being in academia allowed me to do a lot of things I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.

“People have [created art] with their hands for thousands of years… it’s what humanizes us.”

info tomstanleyart.com hodgestaylor.com

Christopher Clamp Stories In Stillness September 16 - October 28, 2017

The clarity of light and pureness of color that Clamp achieves in his sometimes quirky but always personal paintings give them a surface that is both beautifully crafted and uniquely his own.

A full color catalogue is available.

ARIA, 2016, Oil on Panel, 20 x 16 inches

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625 South Sharon Amity Road Charlotte, NC 28211 704-365-3000 gallery@jeraldmelberg.com www.jeraldmelberg.com

OCT 2017 • @QCEXCLUSIVE • 53

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Performance

HOPE FOR THE BALLET Charlotte Ballet’s new Artistic Director brings in fresh work while acknowledging what’s come before. words COREY MILLER photos courtesy CHARLOTTE BALLET or by JEFF CRAVOTTA Charlotte Ballet is entering a new era. After 20 years, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux has stepped down as Artistic Director, and he did so on a high note: Last season was the company’s most successful yet. While the city broke box office records in an effort to say goodbye to the man who redefined Charlotte dance, the ballet company welcomed a new Artistic Director: Hope Muir, formerly Assistant Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet, is taking the reins, and she’s got quite the season in store for us.

New to Charlotte but hardly new to ballet, Muir has worked in both classical and contemporary dance for 27 years throughout Europe, Canada, and the United States. Her uniquely diverse career has seen her create and perform roles for some of the world’s most prolific choreographers, including Christopher Bruce CBE, Twyla Tharp, Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, Robert Cohan, Javier De Frutos, and Mats Ek. She’s also, of course, familiar with and respectful of the growth brought to Charlotte’s ballet in recent years.

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“Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride have built a family of artists, produced exciting and varied work, and grown a loyal audience,” she says of her predecessors. “I relish the opportunity to build on the company’s tradition of excellence and lead it forward for the next generation.”

For her inaugural season as artistic director, Muir has drawn on her wide international dance experience to curate a range of choreographic voices that reflect her passion for both the existing masters and the mentoring of new talent. The 2017/2018 Season includes the introduction of seven new choreographers to Charlotte Ballet’s repertoire, five world premieres, and two American premieres.

This year’s Fall Works, in particular, looks to be an excellent kick off to Muir and her plans for the future of the ballet. The season kicks off with “an introduction to a new voice” in Johan Inger’s Walking Mad, a contemporary work that Muir calls “a stylistic game changer.” This performance will be followed up

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Performance

by George Balanchine’s Apollo, staged by none other than legendary Balanchine dancer and Kennedy Center Honoree Patricia McBride.

“I’ve included Apollo as an acknowledgement of the amazing legacy Patty and JeanPierre have built here,” Muir says. “I didn’t want to come in and ignore everything that’s come before. I have a great respect for the company.”

The final ballet being performed, on the other hand, is a personal venture for the new Artistic Director. Choreographed by Javier de Frutos, Elsa Canasta was originally created with Hope Muir. A dark, funny, sexy evocation of the world of Cole Porter, the ballet will feature a collaboration with Charlotte’s Jazz Arts Initiative and live music by Tony-award winning singer and songwriter Levi Kreisr. Elsa Canasta was originally created with Artistic Director Hope Muir and holds a special place in her career. This performance also marks the first time Elsa Canasta has been performed in the United States.

It concludes a fall schedule that, Muir insists, should serve as an ideal introduction to the kinds of contemporary work she’ll be implementing in the company’s repertoire.

“I have to bring in new work at the right time, not only for the audiences but for the dancers,” Muir says. “They have to have been exposed to it for some time so that they can respond to the work in the most thoughtful and informed way. That improves everyone’s experience of the work. I’m not out to shock. Also, the program has to be balanced. The beginning of this season is basically an introduction to me and where we’re going while also being respectful of the past.”

The new Artistic Director has plenty of new directives in mind for Charlotte Ballet, including a renewed focus on touring and an initiative for grooming new choreographic talent. The company is naturally destined to keep evolving as the city and its arts do so, and Hope Muir feels she has stepped in at an opportune moment.

“I am thrilled and honored to have been invited to be the new Artistic Director of Charlotte Ballet at such an exciting time in the company’s development,” Muir says. “I envision a pioneering and innovative future for Charlotte Ballet in the US and abroad.”

“I didn’t want to come in and ignore everything that’s come before. I have a great respect for the company.”

info charlotteballet.org

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56 • QCEXCLUSIVE.COM • OCT 2017

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Exhibited

STORIES IN STILLNESS Jerald Melberg hosts the new exhibit from artist Christopher Clamp. words XENIA FONG photo courtesy JERALD MELBERG

In light of his third upcoming exhibition at the Jerald Melberg Gallery, Stories In Stillness, we asked South Carolina native and featured artist Christopher Clamp a few questions about his long-time friendship with Jerald Melberg himself, Clamp’s inspiration, and his work.

Clamp began working with Melberg as an art-handler after attending Winthrop University and they have since then remained close friends. Melberg describes Clamp as a “kind and gentle soul with enormous talent and a singular and poignant vision.”

Growing up in a rural area, Clamp passed the time painting and drawing. Since then, art has remained an integral

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part of his life. He draws inspiration from his relationships —more specifically, his relationship with his grandfather.

“He told me a lot of interesting things about nature and life in general," Clamp recalls. He collected a lot of old things, old tools, and old toys which became very important icons to me.”

These vintage items can be seen depicted in many of Clamp’s paintings, evoking strong feelings of nostalgia. The realistic nature of his paintings seem, at first glance, like photographs, but Clamp uses oil paints as his medium because he believes “there’s a certain body to the paint itself, a certain viscosity, and flesh-like quality that you just do not

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Exhibited

“There’s a statement and I want people to spend time with the paintings.”

There’s a statement and I want people to spend time with the paintings.”

Although not explicitly, Clamp’s art comments on controversial current events and ideas like gender equality and the celebration and protection of women.

He hopes his paintings will inspire his audience to examine the ever-present issues within our society and ourselves.

Clamp’s artwork is on display from September 16th to October 28th. info jeraldmelberg.com

get with photographs…It has a texture, a surface…a glow. It’s very seductive in its own way.”

On the surface, Clamp’s artwork can seem playful, but he is careful to let his audience know that “these paintings are not for children. They’re very adult, and I tackle themes that we as adults

need to think about within our society or within ourselves.”

Clamp is fascinated by the notion of using a playful, innocent image and “juxtaposing [that] with negative space, a stray mark, or another object that seems a little different, because it takes it from that innocence to something more serious.

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Style

INGRAINED STYLE Whitley Hamlin of Queen City Style brings a whole lot of flair to her styling.

interview SUNNY HUBLER photos JAMEY PRICE Whitley Hamlin’s home is a little slice of her personality: It’s warm and bright, filled with luxe little details and surprising (often whimsical) touches. And— more than anything—the space is arrestingly chic. I mean, really, it is one heck of a stylish house. Hamlin launched her career in New York City before returning to the Tar Heel State where, by 2011, she began Queen City Style. Today, she is a personal, editorial, and commercial stylist—the “working woman’s stylist” as she off-handedly called herself.

While sipping a glass of prosecco perched atop a velvet-y royal blue couch in her living room, Whitley answered a few of our questions about how she carved out her style niche in the Queen City.

How did your style career get started?

My earliest experiences are as far back as I can remember, perhaps age two, when I started playing dress up in my grandmother and great-grandmother’s closets. Both worked as stylists and buyers for a department store in East-

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“I would say my interest in style and fashion is ingrained in my DNA.”

ern North Carolina, and both were always way ahead of any style curve. I would say my interest in style and fashion is ingrained in my DNA. In 2011 I wrote a story and submitted it to Lucky Magazine that ran on the back page of their November issue, and that was the catalyst of it all for me personally.

You’re a mom and plenty busy, so how do you juggle family and work life?

I’m going to keep this real and not paint some perfect picture that doesn’t exist: I have room to improve in this area.

My two boys come first, paying the bills comes second. As a working mom, everything else has to fall into place

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Style

“My two boys come first, paying the bills comes second. As a working mom, everything else has to fall into place wherever it may, but I really love my work and I really love people.” wherever it may, but I really love my work and I really love people. Because I am pursuing my passion as a career, I more often than not have a hard time saying no.

What are a few career highlights you can share with us?

The launch with Lucky Magazine was a great start, but I’ve had too many to name. Pretty much every new client, project, or opportunity to style is a highlight in my book. I am so grateful for them all!

You have an effortless, unique style.

What word would you use to describe your own taste and style?

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Eclectic. I’m with my two boys a lot so typically well-fitted jeans and a tee with cowgirl boots by day and a high fashion glam dress with big shiny accessories by night. I’m a tomboy with a strong fascination with fashion and style.

Since your work is a passion, what would you say is your favorite part of your job?

Everything. More specifically, the people.

I love learning and I think it is through meaningful relationships with others that we learn and grow and continue to want to do it some more!

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THE CULTUR E

Wellness

THE YOGA STUDIO THAT ISN’T Lindsay Cunningham shares yoga with the city. interview SUNNY HUBLER photos JAMEY PRICE “Charlotte is our studio. We’re an escape from normal, so I like to say NC Yoga Bar is an experience.” So says Lindsay Cunningham, the dreamer and creator of a new kind of fitness experience.

On any given Wednesday, you might walk into the Mint Museum in Uptown and notice a whole bunch of yogis in downward-facing dog pose, with their mats spread right in the center of the Museum’s light-drenched atrium. Not what you were expecting in an art museum? Cunningham is all about doing the extraordinary.

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Her pop-up style studio features classes weekly in some of the most unique environments around the city, from breweries and juice shops to McGill Rose Garden & Nectar Floral Boutique in NoDa. “I try to find exciting, iconic and original places in Charlotte that aren’t doing anything like [what we’re doing],” she says. “The lack of a set practice space actually lifted limitations. The biggest advantage that came out of a challenge was realizing that I don’t have any walls to confine the things I wanted to try. Instead of trying to get people

THE CULTUR E

Wellness

Lindsay Cunningham of NC Yoga Bar poses in ”Dancer” at the Mint Museum Uptown, one of her pop-up locations.

through my doors, why not take yoga to them? I could go wherever people are and make it less about the yoga, more about the business.”

The Chicago native started practicing yoga right after graduating college.

Yoga rapidly became a huge part of her life, and it transformed her health and wellbeing so significantly that she saw no other option than to make it her life’s main focus.

Lindsay’s mission was simple: “To open up a door to yoga’s incredible health benefits for people who may not otherwise have access.”

For Lindsay, what inspires her daily is not just the physical benefits yoga offers, but how much it contributes to a happy life. At the end of the day, she says, her goal is simply to remind people to leave their outside lives outside, and to have fun on their mat, surrounded by the beautiful scenery the Queen City has to offer. info ncyogabar.com

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THE CULTUR E

Beauty

PRETTY PASSIONATE With a background in art and design, Lindsey Regan Thorne has dedicated her career to women’s confidence. interview SUNNY HUBLER

photos EMILY KRISTINE PHOTOGRAPHY and JAMEY PRICE

Lindsey Regan Thorne does a little bit of everything when it comes to beauty: Personal wardrobe styling, flawless makeup application and intricate hair design. For her, beauty has become a creative outlet for artistic expression, an interest sparked initially when she earned her degree in Interior Design from The Art Institute in 2001. Once she decided to launch her business, Be Pretty, things gained steam quickly.

Thorne has been featured in a variety of publications, and is a go-to expert for Southern weddings of all variety.

Lindsey took a minute away from the makeup chair to answer some of our questions about starting her own business, beauty in Charlotte, and her daily routine.

What did you do before you became a stylist and makeup artist, and what were the challenges involved in launching your business?

Before starting Be Pretty, I worked in the commercial architecture and design industry as an interior designer. I was a designer for about 7 years before starting Be Pretty. I loved the design industry and I took away so many influences that

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allowed me to be creative and run a reliable business. The biggest challenge in starting my own business? Having the faith in myself to succeed.

What is your favorite makeup accessory or tool?

My Sigma Tapered Kabuki Foundation Brush. It applies foundation so evenly and just leaves the skin with a beautiful,

seamless finish. It’s the only foundation brush that I’ll ever use!

What is your day-to-day work like?

Each and every day is totally different.

That’s why I love my job. Some days I’m providing makeup and hair services for a bride here in Charlotte and other days I’m busy teaching mommies how to do their own makeup and hair. Every Saturday, as a team, we get the pleasure of beautifying bridal parties, one of my absolute favorite parts of my job. Each week is its own milestone, as we get to be a part of so many people’s special day of starting their new life together.

How would you describe the beauty aesthetic of Charlotte?

When I think of Charlotte, I think Southern-modern-classic-beauty! Char-

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Beauty

“Each week is its own milestone.”

lotte has such an amazing blend from so many regions and cultures that give it a fresh, progressive feel.

Who is one of your favorite Southern tastemakers?

The most stylish Charlottean that I know is a Charlotte-original lady: Sarah Catherine Garvin of Sarah Catherine Collective. She’s a born and raised Charlottean, and I was lucky enough to meet her in design school. Her style is untouchable in both interiors and fashion. Sarah Catherine is exactly who I think of when I try to find and describe Charlotte’s identity.

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Tell me a little more about your “mommy makeovers”—I know they’re a unique offering of yours.

It’s easy for moms to forget about themselves during the different stages of pregnancy. This service allows for moms to take a step back from their hectic lives, and focus 100 percent on themselves. There is a running joke that moms are powered by yoga pants and dry shampoo, but mommy makeovers allow me the opportunity to help mommas with their beauty routine. It’s a one-on-one (or group) lesson where I use one momma as my model, and demonstrate how to make up their face. I’ve

had moms who have left our appointment so happy they are in tears. Being a part of boosting mommas’ confidence really gives me all the feels!

Do you tend to do makeup for the same clients?

I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with so many incredible and beautiful ladies. My typical client is an engaged bride who hires our team for wedding day, bridal portraits, engagement portraits and special events leading up to the big day.

Wedding day is often just the beginning of the relationship my teams and I have

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Beauty

with our clients. We pride ourselves on the relationship we build with each and every client.

Do you collaborate with anyone else?

Be Pretty started out as just me, and has grown into a seven-strong team of wonderful artists. We have remained small so we pride ourselves on the personal touch you receive from working with a boutique-like group. It was a slow, steady growth that just organically happened. I would typically connect with artists as I covered larger wedding parties and needed more help.

This allowed me the chance to connect with some truly talented women, and several have joined the Be Pretty team to make it what it is today. I am truly honored to work beside the hard-working and talented ladies that make up Be Pretty.

Seems only fitting we ask how do you do your makeup?

I know how valuable time is, so I usually treat myself to five minutes to do my makeup every morning. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve been able to see my“no makeup” to “full face” transition, and how to maximize your look in a short period of time. info lindseyreganthorne.com

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5Church and the Ivey’s Hotel have partnered to bring Charlotte a new, upscale lounge in the heart of Uptown.

77 | Sophia’s Lounge

SEE YOU AT SOPHIA’S

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Restaurant

“​​I like to spin classics, present them in a way people have not seen before.”

The same trio that opened the iconic 5Church has a new upscale venture with the Ivey’s Hotel, featuring great food, innovative cocktails, and a trendy setting perfect for date night and intimate social gatherings. Patrick Whalen, Alejandro Torio, and Chef Jamie Lynch recently opened Sophia’s Lounge in Uptown Charlotte with the intention of bringing the Queen City an “upscale, comfortable, service-oriented, and fun” space with an emphasis on both food and drink, without being solely a restaurant or a bar. The owners of the Ivey’s Hotel designed the lounge and describe the style as “opulence meets a touch of vintage and vibrant European flair.” Each section of the lounge is named after Sophia’s daughters and highlights different furniture, styles, and artworks. Partnering with the hotel seemed

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a natural fit for the two partners due to their likeminded approach to service and quality. It also allowed for the lounge’s optimal location—right on Fifth St. directly next to their premier establishment, 5Church.

In regards to the cuisine, Chef Jamie is given full authority when it comes to curating the menu. There isn’t a specific type of cuisine featured on the menu, but the dishes are influenced

by Jamie’s experiences cooking in New York City. Mid-size shared plates such as Cucumber Bruschetta, Maine Lobster Sliders, Lamb Tartare, and Filet Mignon Toast reflect the sophisticated atmosphere of the lounge. The majority of produce is sourced from various farms and farmers markets right here in Charlotte as well.

lighter & brighter We understand the importance of being health conscience. Therefore, we have added a few new lighter options to our lunch menu while also keeping some of the old favorites we know you love.

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THE SPR E A D

Restaurant As for the cocktails, master mixologist and sommelier Patricia Smith has created a special drink list for the lounge. Compared to the cocktails at 5Church, the ones offered at Sophia’s are more sophisticated, more timeconsuming to prepare, and feature takes on already loved “spirit-driven” drinks, such as Negronis and Sazeracs. “​​I like to spin classics, present them in a way people have not seen before or add a new ingredient,” Patricia explains.

Her favorite cocktail on the menu is The Last Word —gin, chartreuse, lime juice, and luxardo maraschino cherry liqueur. Ordering drinks from an extensive cocktail list may be daunting for some, but Patricia makes sure her audience feels comfortable regardless of what they’re ordering.

“I just want people to drink what they like and if we can help find them a new favorite, that is awesome," she elaborates. "But if they want to drink their go-to, we will happily make that for them as well."

Whether you’re there for the food, the drinks, the service, or the ambiance, Sophia’s Lounge is Charlotte’s newest hot spot for a memorable evening that’ll keep you coming back. info theiveyshotel.com

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80 • QCEXCLUSIVE.COM • OCT 2017

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THE SPR E A D

Tastemaker

FOOD WITH SOUL Owner of Fork!, Tim Groody, launches his new Asian-inspired venture, Ramen Soul, a funky ramen and dim sum shop. words XENIA FONG With the opening of his new restaurant, Ramen Soul, Tim Groody showcases his culinary prowess in his exploration of a whole new cuisine. Located in Mooresville, Ramen Soul offers everything from coconut tuna poke, chicken and kimchee rice noodle rolls, lobster and pork shumai, to lamb belly and tonkotsu ramen. They even have ramen mac and cheese for the little ones and sake cocktails for the adults.

Tim and his wife Melanie have had a special interest in ramen and dim sum for a long time. After working with the same food for 20 years, they craved a new challenge, which lead to the spontaneous creation of Ramen Soul. Following along the lines of Fork!’s mission of using fresh, local sources, Ramen Soul will also be using local ingredients for their dishes and broths. But

photos JAMEY PRICE their main focus is on serving delicious steaming bowls of ramen and setting themselves apart with other unusual touches, like “a different angle on broth,” and adding sake to many of their cocktails. They are also serving a variety of made-in-house dumplings, steamed buns, and rice noodle rolls that you won’t be able to find anywhere else, like a pastrami reuben egg roll and spicy lamb gyoza.

The decor of the restaurant alone is enough to make you want to stay and hang out. Quotes from music icons like John Lennon and Janis Joplin adorn the walls, as well as hilarious posters of old album covers that somehow incorporate bowls of ramen and old kung-fu films. When asked about bringing rock n’ roll and classic pop culture together with ramen and dim sum, Tim explains that “Melanie is the heart and soul of it.”

“We were trying to get a place where it’s a little different when people come in—where they can feel the vibe.”

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THE SPR E A D

Tastemaker

“Whether you go for the BeatlesBruce Lee vibes, the ramen, the dim sum, or the sake cocktails, Ramen Soul is sure to satisfy all senses.”

“She grew up listening to The Beatles and we were trying to create a place where it’s a little different when people come in— where they can feel the vibe.”

Enjoy your bowl of ramen while watching Karate Kid, Kung Fu Panda, or Bruce Lee films. You may get a kick out of the Bruce Lee movie playing in Japanese while you’re in the bathroom as well—that’s one way to add a fun and funky ambiance.

Ramen Soul is a new challenge for Tim and Melanie. It’s given them an opportunity to take what they’ve learned in the past and apply it to a completely different realm.

“We’re using the knowledge that we have of how to cook,” Tim explains, “just flavoring it differently.”

Ramen Soul relies on ingredients, specifically the broth.

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“It’s all done ahead of time when you’re making your broth,” Tim says. “It’s cooking for hours, that’s really what the key is.”

Straying from what he’s used to, Tim specifies that in his past ventures, “when you’re plating up the food it’s about putting the flavors together, but here you’re building all the flavors and just putting it togther. They develop in the bowl as you eat it. We’re building a lot of layers in the bowl, so it changes as you go.”

Whether you go for the Beatles-Bruce Lee vibes, the noodles, the dim sum, or the sake cocktails, Ramen Soul is sure to satisfy all senses. info ramensoulnc.com

THE SPR E A D

Plated

HERITAGE BEETS words COREY MILLER photo JAMEY PRICE

It doesn’t get much prettier than this, folks.

Paul Verica plates microcosms: Each of his dishes is its own little world. This one’s a carefully constructed mound of earth: Roasted baby beets, paper-thin dried beets, plentiful walnut crumble, and elegant dollops of bleu cheese make up the centerpiece, while broad strokes of parsley purée and beet purées draw the eye into Verica’s focal point. It has an undeniable allure: Even the most

staunch of beet naysayers may find themselves trying to move this mountain.

With his beet salad, Paul Verica proves yet again that his Heritage Food & Drink is a real treasure for the area. And with the farm-to-fork staple moving to Elizabeth soon, we’ll be able to treasure it, and dishes like this one, far more often. info heritagefoodanddrink.com

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THE SPR E A D

Plated

CREPE CELLAR’S SALMON BENEDICT words SUNNY HUBLER photo JAMEY PRICE Crepe Cellar doesn’t hold back when it comes to their Sunday brunch spread. The menu only happens once a week, so you'd better believe they take full advantage. And while we’d be remiss not to mention the crepes offered­—savory and sweet, done to perfection every time—nine times out of ten, we have to go with the smoked salmon eggs benedict.

Order a cup of coffee, cozy up in one of the booths by the window, and prepare to brunch properly. The dish comes with the classics— creamy hollandaise and those drippy poached eggs—but the chef adds a little extra with the layers of lox, the fresh baby spinach, and a choice of baguette for bread. The benny is plated with home fries (well, you can choose grits too, but Crepe Cellar goes big with the home fries) and pairs perfectly with just about any brunch cocktail you like best. info crepecellar.com

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THE SPR E A D

Plated

OAK’S PORK PASTA words SUNNY HUBLER photo JAMEY PRICE You might not think “handmade pasta” when you’re headed to the newest Charlotte steakhouse, a place that’s nothing less than an ode to the finest cuts of butcher’s block beef. But these ravioli are worth straying from the more obvious choice —or at least enjoying before you slice into your ribeye. This delicate pasta dish, stuffed with salty pork, comes dressed in lemon zest, fresh herbs, and a rich beurre monte. It’s a simple dish, really, but it is by no means plain. Chef Alex Jenkins ties together all the flavors and textures you could want in this unexpected plate. It’s not steak, but it sure is great. info oaksteakhousecharlotte.com

OCT 2017 • @QCEXCLUSIVE • 91

THE SPR E A D

Poured

HYDE’S CASCADE DRAFT COFFEE words COREY MILLER photo KYO H. NAM The lines between kitchen, taphouse, and coffee shop are decidedly blurred in The Suffolk Punch. That makes each face of this unique compound something special: Somehow, Lindsey Pitman’s Hyde coffee bar manages to embrace the experience of the taphouse without eschewing the artistry of our favorite coffee dens. Take Hyde’s draft coffee, for example: It’s smooth like a stout, but with the frothy head of a good lager. It can be made beerier, though: Throw in local cascade hops, and a drink that recalled your favorite pub has you reconsidering your favorite pub. And you can customize your drinks even further; in fact, the beverage nerds here practically insist on it. With a little brown sugar, grapefruit peppercorn and rosemary bitters, the only thing this eyecatcher needs is a little gin. (Doc Porter’s or Sutler’s will do just fine, Lindsey.) If you can’t tell, we’re looking forward to that forthcoming Hyde Coffee cocktail menu. info thesuffolkpunch.com

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THE SPR E A D

Poured

LITTLE SPOON’S ANTIDOTE words COREY MILLER Photo JAMEY PRICE I’ve heard it said that ginger root cures everything.

Or was that turmeric…? Anyway, ginger is one of my favorite flavors on this planet. It’s one of the few things that, in my humble, decidedly non-Eastern opinion, improves almost any Asian-inflected dish or beverage. Little Spoon’s Antidote is a ginger cocktail done right, an artful beverage that seems designed to tell your eyes and your tongue different stories.

Fresh ginger and lemon meet honey and bitters in a cocktail that’s as aesthetically minimalistic as it is tastefully complex.

And beneath the obvious bite of the root flavor is the Benchmark Old # 8. Because of the citrus and ginger, it sneaks up on you in a way bourbon rarely does. info littlespooneatery.com

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AN EYE FOR AESTHETICS Karen Kettler Designs gives clients what they want—only better.

by SARAH GALLO portraits JAMEY PRICE kitchen photos DUSTIN PECK

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T H E F OL IO

- Karen Kettler

97 | Karen Kettler

“THE HOUSE TELLS YOU WHAT IT NEEDS—THE REST EVOLVES.”

THE FOLIO

Profile

Karen Kettler has a weak spot for kitchens.

As they are “where everyone hangs out,” the renowned local designer especially enjoys providing Charlotteans with luxurious kitchens perfect for entertaining, testing out a new recipe, or simply for enjoying a glass of pinot grigio after work. When Kettler moved back to Charlotte after living in Boston, starting Karen Kettler Design seemed an appropriate next step. She immediately immersed herself in the traditional-yet-evolving design world that Charlotte is known for. It paid off. Now, the kitchen and bath specialist works with clients to create a custom fit design—and Charlotte can’t get enough.

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“I love that every project I do is a reflection of the family’s unique lifestyle and aesthetics.”

“The best compliment on completion after months of planning is when a client tells you that they wouldn’t change a thing,” Kettler muses. “I love that every project I do is a reflection of the family’s unique lifestyle and aesthetics.”

When looking at a Kettler-conceived kitchen or bath, one can expect a signature aesthetic: an organic, clean design that works to make the space visually attractive, yet completely functional.

Thanks to a strong partnership with neutral colors, Kettler’s designs are all the more on-trend and long-lasting. By pairing a typical neutral color scheme with pops of bright white, the alluring design can end up being universally lovable.

THE FOLIO

Profile

For Kettler, designing specialty kitchens and baths in the breathtaking North Carolina mountains and calming beaches is a personal favorite. However, she thrives off of the ever-changing design aesthetic right here in Charlotte. The next trend Kettler sees taking over the Queen City is matte black and gold plumbing, lighting fixtures, appliances, and hardware—an element Kettler has already implemented into her designs.

“I’m loving navy blue and matte gold accents,” Kettler shares. “Combine that with a crisp white, and the results are beautifully classic.”

Since Kettler enjoys mixing it up, she avoids limiting her-

self to one particular design style. Watching unique design elements come together brings Kettler immense satisfaction, as her job is then complete. The team of innovative designers has done everything from luxury marble bathrooms to rustic kitchens, perfect for families of all kinds. However, Kettler’s hands-on approach remains constant.

“My designs are a collaboration between me and the homeowner,” Kettler explains. “I like the finished product to be a reflection of their individual taste and style of home. The house tells you what it needs—the rest evolves.” info karenkettlerdesign.com

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THE FOLIO

Foundations

CUSTOM COUTURE

Couture Knots brings unique custom-made rugs to the QC

by SARAH GALLO photos JAMEY PRICE Ali Nikrooz never thought he would be a rug merchant. With a biology degree from UNC under his belt, Nikrooz eased into the chemical sales field after graduating college. In 2004, however, a relative exposed him to the intriguing world of rugs while on a trip to Italy. Once Nikrooz realized this was a world he wanted to be part of, he leapt into what can only fairly be described as unknown territory.

Thus, Couture Knots was born.

What inspired such a bold transition from a career in chemical sales as a Biology major to the world of rugs?

My story of rugs began back in 2004, when I went to visit a relative in Italy.

This relative had been a rug merchant for decades, but surprisingly he had sold all of his oriental rugs and was experimenting with rug design. He was making custom rugs in Nepal with original designs that were contemporary. The rugs were being made using centuries old methods and materials, but felt fresh and new. At the time I enjoyed a career in Chemical Sales for a Charlotte chemical company. I had no knowledge of rugs but always had a love for art and design. By the end of the

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trip, I was convinced that I could sell these rugs in the US, and so I quit my job and started my rug journey. Having jumped off the deep end, I learned quickly, and was able to expand the line selling to quality rug showrooms across the country. Once established, I was sought after as someone who could represent and introduce international rug lines into the United States and the business blossomed.

Tell us more about the history of Couture Knots— When did you open and what are all of the services offered?

I started Couture Knots simply because I wanted Charlotte to have access to the quality and kind of rugs that I was sell-

ing in major markets across the United States which were not readily available. I also wanted to focus more on the customer relationship as I feel that customer service is quickly vacating the world around us. I believe that people value a shopping experience where they can be helped through a journey of discovery in order to procure the perfect rug for their decor. I didn’t want stacks of rugs to flip through but a rug boutique where the rugs are the haute couture fashion for the floor.

Couture Knots specializes in transitional, and contemporary rug designs custom designed for the client’s interiors. All of our rugs are hand-knotted, as each part of the process is done by hand. With access to large inventories of standard sizes, rugs can be procured in as little as a few days or made custom which take 4 to 6 months depending on size. We are not a traditional rug showroom as we do not buy, clean, or repair rugs.

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THE FOLIO

Foundations

“I started Couture Knots because I wanted Charlotte to have access to the quality and style of rugs that I was selling in major markets across the U.S.”

Describe Couture Knots’ collection of rugs. What are the key factors a piece must have to make the cut?

Couture Knots carries a number of different lines including Jan-Kath, Tamarian, Florence Broadhurst, Cadrys, and Kooches. Jan Kath is arguably the best rug designer in the world out of Germany.

He has many different aesthetics and his rugs are made in Nepal, Turkey, Morrocco, and India. His rugs adorn every Louis Vuitton store in the world, along with homes of celebrities, the United Nations, and design-savvy individuals.

Although, this line is high end, it can be customized to meet various price points.

Couture Knots is the only showroom in the Southeast that carries this line.

Tamarian is perhaps the largest and most widely prevalent Tibetan rug company in the US. They have beautiful designs that meet the aesthetics of today’s rug market and have one of the largest inventories for quick ship. Florence Broadhurst is an iconic brand out of Australia, licensed by the Florence Broadhurst library this rug collection depicts the wall paper art of the Late Florence Broadhurst on the

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medium of Tibetan rugs. Cadrys is the preeminent rug family of Australia producing many different lines and aesthetics that are represented in Couture Knots. Kooches is one of the most highly respected Tibetan rug companies. They have amazing quality with a less is more attitude. Their rugs are tactile, and beautiful with minimal design. Kooches specializes in the use of vegetable dyes in their product. The criteria for being a part of the Couture Knots lineup is a beautiful, hand-knotted rug, that is customizable and is supported by great service while being socially responsible.

How do you go about helping a customer find the right piece?

The process of buying a rug at Couture Knots, is about the experience. As the rug lines we carry can not be shopped on the internet, the experience is very retro and customer based. By asking questions about a client’s home and their aesthetic, a direction is established.

Various samples are picked and budget is considered along with choices such as size, color, texture, material (wool, silk,

nettle, etc.). Renderings are provided for approval, or strike-offs are ordered.

Once everything is approved a rug is ordered and delivered from a few days to a few months for a custom rug.

What does a rug bring into a room that other design pieces simply can’t?

Rugs are like a comforting hug for a room.

They define spaces and bring a sense of home to a house. The rugs at Couture Knots are not your everyday rugs and are truly fashion for the floor. Some are conversation pieces that your neighbors will drool over, while others simply melt away into a beautiful decor. The choice and style is yours, hence Couture . . . Knots.

What is something unique that Couture Knots offers the Charlotte design scene?

Exceptional socially responsible unique rugs, customizable pricing, and a smile.

Are there exciting plans for the future?

A late night, barefoot, dance on rugs, party!

info coutureknots.com

THE FOLIO

Profile

NEW HOME, NEW LIFE Rick Magliocca of New Life Building Supplies brings together the community through his humble approach to work.

by SARAH GALLO photos JOE PURVIS Rick Magliocca has been serving Charlotte since 1977. As the owner of New Life Building Supplies, Rick helps construct high-quality spaces for his customers—who are more like the most loyal of friends to the widely successful supplier.

was young I did a little bit of everything... I had built treehouses my whole life and frequently replaced shingles on the roof. Even though I wasn’t gifted with much, I was mechanically inclined and taught myself all I know.

What made you go into this particular industry, and how did you end up starting the business here in Charlotte?

I was born and raised in Charlotte. When I was a junior in high school I decided I didn’t want to work for the other man. So, at 17 I started working out of my 1944 Ford pickup truck until dark five days a week.

When you work on a non-local project, do you use vendors in those areas?

We use all of our own vendors because we know we can trust them. Over 19 years I’ve developed what we call “Rick’s List,” which is a list of our roofers, electricians, plumbers who can do everything short of building the house.

How did you start in the beginning? How did you meet vendors and people you could work with?

My father was the manager of a building supply company called Keller Building Products, but I wanted to do start my own venture. When I

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Is there any particular aspect about the job that you especially love?

There’s nothing like going into a customer’s home and watching them excitedly pick out supplies for their dream marble countertops or tile backsplash. When we start the building process, I tell

New Construction or Replacement Full Service Sales & Installation Call to schedule a replacement consultation.

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THE FOLIO

Profile

“When we start the building process, I tell customers ‘we’re starting this out as friends,’ and when the project is finished, I want our relationship to remain that strong or stronger.’”

customers “we’re starting this out as friends,” and when the project is finished, I want our relationship to remain just as strong, if not stronger.

I need friends in life. I don’t need money.

Where did your name come from? What does the name mean to you?

We lost our whole world from ’07 to ’11. During the recession, I’d drive to work with tears in my eyes knowing I had to let four perfectly capable employees go that day. That was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life, especially since I wasn’t at the top—we all worked together.

We shut down in ’07 but decided to stay in the business, because as long as I’m healthy with two arms, two legs, ten fingers, and ten toes, I’m go-

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“I was only gifted with very little—being mechanically inclined. I pretty much learned all I know now on my own.”

ing to do something. My wife Kristen came up with the name of New Life Building Supplies, because it was a symbol of our fresh start, and for the new life our children would get to live.

Do you think the recession ultimately brought people in your industry together?

In the past year to year-and-a-half we’ve doubled our sales—likely because we don’t cherry pick our jobs. We do the good, the bad, and the ugly, both financially and decision-wise.

I think the solid people in our company stuck together. We're all a big family andwe’re closer now than ever. info newlifebuildingsupplies.com

THE FOLIO

Statement

TILED ART words SUNNY HUBLER photo courtesy WALKER ZANGER Walker Zanger, for more than 60 years, has been carefully crafting tile from marble and stone unearthed from quarries throughout the world. The emphasis on quality and relationships made this family business into one of the world’s leading luxury stone and tile brands.

These Sterling Row collection tiles are no different. Displayed here in the charcoal color of the oxford pattern, these little pieces of art were created from a combination of porcelain tile and

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marble, inspired by fine fabrics and the richness of burnished leather. Sterling Row offers the look of the highest quality wood and marble inlay that can be used in any space of the home with minimal maintenance. Here, they turn an otherwise ordinary living space into an eye-catching dining area that needs little else to look and feel luxurious. info walkerzanger.com

THE FOLIO

Vignettes

LIVING IN COMFORT words SUNNY HUBLER photo DAN RAPER OF SHOWCASE PHOTOGRAPHERS Grandfather Homes is the Charlotte-based builder behind some of the most eye-catching custom homes in our area. The clients for this Foxcroft Woods home were looking to design a space with sophisticated style and contemporary comfort. Grandfather Homes assembled a talented team that could combine both elements of design and function and that would create a space that actually made sense for their family of six.

DETAILS

They brought out the vision in each room, but managed to truly capture the ambiance in this living room space. The comfort of multiple seating options and the open space allow the whole family to congregate, and the large fireplace creates a focal point for the room. All in all, it’s a comfortable living area accompanied by a classic Grandfather-style upscale aesthetic. info grandfatherhomes.com

Built by Grandfather Homes | Plan by Rob T Foster Design Studio | Selections by Tammy Coulter Design | Staging by Tom Holley

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OCT 2017 • @QCEXCLUSIVE • 113

THE FOLIO

Vignettes

MID-CENTURY ON THE LAKE words SUNNY HUBLER photo Mitchell Kearney Artistic Contractors, the luxury custom home builder out of Charlotte, takes their name seriously: To achieve the quality their clients want, they combine artistry with the best available building processes to create one-of-a-kind homes. This Denver, NC project, completed late summer of 2016, is an example of that. With a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired, mid-century modern aesthetic, the Lake Norman house is functional but beautiful.

A guiding principle behind the entire project was to “bring the outside in,” to use a more natural, outdoorsy feel for this modern approach. To do this, the team at Artistic Contractors used the same materials from the outside of the home—stone and wood

DETAILS

—and incorporated it into the interior, for a monolithic, seamless look. They also created the expansive windows to take full advantage of the lakefront property.

From the statement-making stone wall to the rich red cedar wood ceiling and the floor-to-ceiling windows, the Denver design is a little bit West Coast and a little bit Lake Norman, with a whole lot of elegance, style, and carefully-selected touches.

Artistic Contractors is bringing surprising new takes on home building all across the greater Charlotte area. info artisticcontractorsnc.com

NAVA pendant by SHAKUFF | Phillips Collection wood sculture and table from Furnitureland South | Floor lamp from Restoration Hardware

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a Partnership from Planning to Perfection

Showroom Hours: Monday – Friday, 9am – 6pm Saturday, 10am – 4pm Sunday, Closed

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OCT 2017 • @QCEXCLUSIVE • 115

THE FOLIO

Vignettes

SEAMLESS & SLEEK words SUNNY HUBLER photo PATRICK CLINE Interior designer Michel Van Devender and her husband, Ladd Van Devender, have always loved modern design. In the fall of 2013, a friend and a serendipitous stroke of luck led to the purchase of a property just four houses down from the 1920s Elizabeth neighborhood home that they had renovated and lived in for eight years. At the time she was a designer with Lisa Sherry of Lisa Sherry Interieurs and so Van Devender knew she would be actively involved in the designing and building process. Today, the two remain great friends, and Van Devender has worked and traveled up and down the East Coast bringing her coveted casual

DETAILS

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luxe style to clients. The idea behind the house’s aesthetic is to marry a seamless blend of architecture and interior design in a space that is minimal but warm. The result is a modern multifunctional space, exemplified perfectly by this bedroom, that combines a varied mix of finishes and materials. The unfinished white oak wood floors line the entire upstairs, as does the neutral color palette. The bedroom is a happy, light-filled, calm space that Van Devender says offsets perfectly the chaos of life.

It’s a visually striking space, too, with the eclectic mix of new and old objects that she has made her signature.

Ceiling lamp by Control Brand | Table lamp by Jamie Young | Bedside Tables are a vintage find

KAREN KETTLER DESIGN

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OCT 2017 • @QCEXCLUSIVE • 117

THE FOLIO

Blueprint

MODERN SIMPLICITY The Jas Am Group’s South Park Architectural Gem words SARAH GALLO photos courtesy JAS AM GROUP

THE FOLIO

Blueprint

Situated amongst the abundance of traditional-style South Park homes lies a notable outlier: an architectural wonder oozing with crisp, modern flair. Pulling up to the St. John Lane home, one's eyes are immediately drawn to the rawly exposed Jeld-Wen Siteline windows that grace the home’s exterior. Set against the home’s beautifully simple light gray backdrop, the rectangular windows offer a breath of fresh air.

The home’s charcoal gray architectural asphalt shingles are another visual focal point, as they lie in stark contrast to the lighter hard-coat stucco exterior. The home’s exquisite molding along the edge of the roof evokes an aura of enviable

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class. Further classifying the home as a modern masterpiece is its alcove-like entrance, forming a shadow box of sorts around the wooden front door.

The home’s interior holds even more—from the abundance of sapele mahogany panels to the intricate crown molding to the luxurious white oak hardwood flooring, the home’s interior architectural design does not disappoint. JJ Barja of Elite Design Group worked alongside his renowned design team to cultivate the home’s aesthetic.

Barja’s designs, though pure in their art, are impressively diverse. The architectural designer shares that he learns

THE FOLIO

Blueprint

“The Jas Am Group has built numerous homes across the Queen City that, although aesthetically pleasing, remain highly livable. The group’s modern masterpiece on St. John Lane, which took eight months to build, is no different.”

something new from each and every design, solidifying Elite Design Group’s reputation as one of Charlotte’s most innovative group of designers.

The Jas Am Group, Charlotte luxury home builders, also helped realize this vision. Jas Am’s founder and president, Sajjan Dhaliwal, worked with Barja and inspired the designer’s use of clean lines while still maintaining a look that would fit with its surroundings. As Barja puts it, Dhaliwal is simply “a visionary.”

After Dhaliwal’s first home was built for his own family in the 1980’s, he was immediately drawn to the art of home building. A background in engineering helped Dhaliwal smoothly transition career fields.

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“Blending my engineering background into homebuilding was a natural fit for me,” Dhaliwal explains. “To this day, homebuilding is my passion.”

The Jas Am Group has built numerous homes across the Queen City that, though aesthetically pleasing, remain highly livable. The group’s thoroughly modern masterpiece on St. John Lane, which took eight months to build, is no different.

The home was designed with millennials in mind, but the home builders offer styles for any Charlottean who “appreciates luxury, quality, and attention to detail.” info jasamgroup.com elitedesigngroup.com

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Art museum meets boutique hotel in downtown Durham words LESLIE BROOKS photos courtesy 21C MUSEUM HOTEL

134 | Le Meridien 138 | Paris Defined 130 | Cultivating Soul 125 | 21c Museum Hotel

T H E E X PL OR E D

21C MUSEUM HOTEL

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Weekenders

The 21c Museum Hotel located in Durham, North Carolina offers something that no other boutique hotel in the area can— accessible, museum-quality art and artist exhibitions, decadent food, unique cocktails, and a host of indulgent rooms.

Durham is a city deserving of ample exploration, and the 21c Museum Hotel enhances that experience, no matter if it is on the first visit or a return trip.

Originally started in Louisville, Kentucky, 21c Museum Hotels resulted from a culmination of Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson’s efforts to share their love for contemporary art and urban revitalization within their hometown. The 21c

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Museum Hotel Durham was the fourth location Brown and Wilson opened and only serves to further those same aspirations of sharing new, innovative art with the public while preserving a historic site.

Brown and Wilson selected the beautiful historic Hill Building in downtown Durham for the grounds of their next undertaking. The building’s legacy was respected, leaving much of the original brickwork and timber in place, but augmenting it with a modern, luxurious design. The rooms are intimate but cozy, refined, and integrate contemporary art into a guest’s everyday life.

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THE EXPLOR ED

Weekenders

Visitors can expect to enjoy a permanent collection of contemporary art from living artists, traveling exhibitions, set against a backdrop of refined elegance. Surprisingly, fine art and luxuriant rooms are not all that the 21c Museum Hotel Durham has to offer its guests.

Attached to the hotel is the Counting House, which has become the newest must-try dining destination in the city. Their menu features interpretations of regional, North Carolina cuisine through a global vocabulary. Seasonal, locally sourced ingredients are showcased in tempting dishes that celebrate

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North Carolina’s rich history of roasting techniques and fresh seafood.

Guests may have come for the art, but they will find themselves staying for the experience. With a myriad of amenities, an on-site spa, fitness center, art museum, and astounding restaurant, there’s something for any guest to indulge. The 21c Museum Hotel Durham makes for the perfect weekend retreat for those seeking a taste of the new and luxurious. info 21cmuseumhotels.com

Be our guest.

Plan your next getaway, and experience a fun-filled stay packed with amazing amenities, including complimentary access to the Charlotte Athletic Club, as well as fine dining and much more!

704-377-0400 • omnihotels.com/charlotte

Romantic Hiking Hideaway 2300 Swag Road, Waynesville, NC 28725 • (828) 926-0430 • (800) 789-7672 • www.theswag.com

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THE EXPLOR ED

Carolina Towns LEFT: Old Well RIGHT: Ackland Art Musuem

CULTIVATING SOUL The artistic retreats of Carrboro and Chapel Hill words L AURA SHINN photos of Ackland EMILY BOWLES

WHAT TO SEE Ackland Art Museum This museum’s permanent collection contains over 18,000 works of art, featuring North Carolina’s premier collection of works on paper, as well as significant collections of European works, twentieth-century and contemporary art, and North Carolina pottery. The Ackland organizes more than a dozen special exhibitions a year—and admission is free.

photo courtesy ACKLAND ART MUSEUM THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL

photo courtesy NC BOTANICAL GARDEN Those who have never truly been to Carrboro tend to lump the little town with the nearby and more well-known Chapel Hill. To be fair, the two are fused so seamlessly that the locals don’t realize they’ve crossed from one to the other until they find themselves in the heart of a different town. Unlike that of the busier college community, though, Carrboro’s is a more artistically diverse lifestyle. Its free spirit complements the buttoned-up nature of its neighboring college town, creating a unique culture and refined taste that can’t really be found anywhere else. From its old mill town beauty to its many exquisite artisans and some unforgettable food, Carrboro is one to leave its mark in your heart.

Founded in 1882 as a tobacco town named West End, Carrboro has been renovated into today’s bastion of Piedmont culture. Due to the decline of the tobacco and cotton industries in the Carolinas, some of the liveliest buildings in the Carolinas are old renovated mills and historic buildings. Carrboro channels that charm in its factory-style buildings, merging history with today’s modern business.

Raleigh and Durham are renowned as the cultural hubs of the Triangle, but the crowds and bustle of big city life often hide the small details that make a place wellrounded. Carrboro is a place that understands the appeal of the urban life without the metropolitan distraction.

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North Carolina Crafts Gallery Several hundred artists from across North Carolina showcase their wares in this little retail gallery, housed in a twostory red brick building on the corner of West Main Street and Weaver Street.

FRANK Gallery The result of a partnership between the town of Chapel Hill and a group of local artists, FRANK is both a fine art gallery and a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities through the arts.

Franklin Street This charming historic stretch is exactly the kind of street you want to spend an afternoon strolling down. It’s home to numerous college-y coffee shops, restaurants, museums, bookshops, music stores, and bars.

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THE EXPLOR ED

Carolina Towns LEFT: Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower RIGHT: NC Botanical Gardens

WHERE TO DRINK The Crunkleton Probably the most famous spot for drinks in the Triangle, this private Franklin Street club has earned its reputation through elevating classic cocktails. Try the sazerac or the Old Fashioned.

North Carolina Botanical Garden This free outing is worth visiting, from the winding paths to the landscaped gardens. It’s especially worthy of a trip during the blooming season in spring.

Carolina Basketball Museum You’re not in basketball land for no reason: Go pay your respects in the museum right next door to the Dean Dome.

There are interactive exhibits and a vast collection of Tar Heel memorabilia.

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WHERE TO EAT Lantern This cozy modern eatery is Asian tastes made with NC ingredients. You’ll want to start with the pork and chive dumplings and end with the Lantern Bi Bim Bop. Al’s Burger Shack Yeah, we know everyone has a favorite burger spot, but trust us—Al’s hasn’t been named on the “best” lists this many times for no reason.

Belltree For some more contemporary drink options, head to Belltree, a bar that’s both Prohibition-era speakeasy and modern cocktail culture hub.

WHERE TO STAY Carolina Inn This iconic hotel on the University of North Carolina campus has been serving guests since 1924. That’s nearly 100 years of stellar hospitality. info qcexclusive.com

COCOCO C R E ATI V IT Y EN CO U R A G ED

CO M M ERC I A L A N D R E S I D ENTI A L S H I P P I N G W O RLDW I D E 19725 Oak Street #5 | Cornelius, NC | 704-892-6680 | support@COCOCOHome.com | COCOCOHOME.COM

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Staycation

THE ART OF STAYING IN Le Meridien Hotel brings luxurious European roots to Uptown Charlotte. words SARAH GALLO photos courtesy LE MERIDIEN

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When staying at Uptown’s Le Meridien hotel, one does not need to travel far for a rich cultural experience. The modern, European influenced hotel holds a wealth of amenities—like The Sparkling Program, which raises a glass of bubbly to art, innovation, and the European aesthetic of the hotel. Le Meridien treats guests to a stay that feels like a vacation all on its own.

Le Meridien’s artful design was especially made for arts and culture appreciators. The emergence of food, culture and art coincides with the brand’s original design aesthetic, promoting appreciation for local art and innovative thinking.

The hotel’s highly regarded in-house steakhouse, Evoke, is another key element of what established Le Meridien as a local gem. The menu holds classic options such as the 35-Day-Aged NY Strip to the Domestic Lamb Chops to various house made pastas.

The hotel brings in even more guests with the new addition of City Lights: Charlotte’s largest rooftop bar, holding an unparalleled view of the city. The local hotspot features refreshing summer cocktails such as Summer Blossom—

THE EXPLOR ED

Staycation

a crisp blend of watermelon, cucumber, lemon, Tanqueray, and St. Germaine. The menu also holds a wide array of sparkling wines, craft and specialty brews, and much more. Each cocktail is topped off with a brightly-colored popsicle— which is reason enough to check out the bar that everyone’s talking about. There is much to look forward to in terms of Le Meridien’s upcoming social calendar, which is ever-growing. “We’re

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looking forward to offering our guests new programs through our food and beverage restaurants and bars, including quarterly dinners for a taste of Evoke, Rosé all day Sundays, live jazz on weekends and many, many more exciting things are coming down the pipe.”

info lemeridiencharlotte.com

A Magliocca Co.

YO UR N E W CO N STRUCTI ON & RE-HAB CONCI ERGE

RICK AND KRISTEN MAGLIOCCA, OWNERS

2151 HAWKINS STREET | SUITE 300 CHARLOTTE, NC 28203 980-237-2670 WWW.NEWLIFEBUILDINGSUPPLIES.COM

THE EXPLOR ED

Departure

PARIS, DEFINED Take the path less traveled with our list of lesser known sights, cheap eats, and Parisian streetwear shops.

by XENIA FONG iPhone photos JP GRICE The label of “the city of romance” has become overwhelmingly cliché. Yet the minute I stepped foot in Paris, I succumbed to the stereotype and fell stupidly in love with the city. Walking around is like stepping back in time; the streets are steeped with rich history, and the Haussmannian architecture, though homogenous, is an everlasting symbol of another era.

Whether you’re walking through the first arrondissement, weaving in and out of all the world-famous museums, or aimlessly wandering around the boho tenth by Canal St. Martin, home of hipsters, innovative concept stores, and cafés, there’s something for everyone to fall in love with.

The sheer size of the city, along with the grand number of things to do, see, and eat in Paris can be overwhelming. Although the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and the Eiffel Tower are Parisian symbols for a reason, the city offers so much more, hidden behind the shadows of these great monuments.

Here are a few less touristy sights, cheap bites, and funky shops that defined, for me, the most romantic city in the world.

WHAT TO SEE Tenth Arrondissement Hip boutiques, cafes, colorful concept shops, record stores, graffiti, bearded men, and fashionable ladies—it’s Paris’s own hipster paradise.

Musée de l’orangerie First Arrondissement Home of Monet’s, Water Lillies, this small museum is much easier to digest and less crowded than its neighbors, the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay.

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WHERE TO EAT El Nopal Ninth Arrondissement Who knew Paris would have great Mexican street food? Their vegetarian burrito and quesadillas are good enough to win over hardcore carnivores.

Au P’tit Grec Fifth Arrondissement Say bye-bye to late-night munchies at this savory créperie. There’s always a line, but it’s a testament to how truly delicious and sinfully filling these galettes are.

Passages des Panoramas Second Arrondissement Instead of the classic (and outrageously expensive) Champs Elysée, take a stroll through Paris’s very first covered walkway. Inside, you’ll find bars, restaurants, vintage stores, and quirky boutiques.

Rice + Fish Second Arrondissement A native Californian chef runs this fun and eccentric sushi joint colorfully decorated with vintage Japanese posters and bright paper lanterns. Rolls encompass a fusion of cuisines and are downright mouthwatering.

River Boat Tour Buy a bottle of wine and take a romantic tour of the Seine at sunset. Passing by the sparkling Eiffel Tower at night is an experience you’ll never forget.

Berthillon Fourth Arrondissement This shop has been pleasing customers for decades with their tantalizing sorbet and ice-cream. Try the black-

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THE EXPLOR ED

Departure

currant sorbet and salted caramel icecream for a sweet, satisfying treat.

to one-of-a-kind magazines, and there’s even a café on the bottom floor.

WHERE TO SHOP Club 75 Tenth Arrondissement The product of a collaboration between a DJ, a streetwear expert, and a graphic designer, Club 75 unites clothes, music, and graphics in their funky clothing store.

Colette First Arrondissement As the first Parisian concept store, Colette has continued to amass a cult-like following throughout the world. They sell everything from designer clothes, scented candles, records, technology,

Pigalle Ninth Arrondissement Look effortlessly cool with a few Parisian streetwear pieces. You may even get fashion advice from the designer and his mom if you’re lucky.

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Atelier Beaurepaire Tenth Arrondissement Mixing African-inspired prints with modern European cuts, this store sells colorful and wildly printed unisex pieces that are perfect for streetwear. It’s all about the details in this special atelier. info qcexclusive.com

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4332 Monroe Rd., Charlotte, NC 28205 | 704-332-4139

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U NSTILL LIFE

interview COREY MILLER | photos KYO H. NAM

Charlotte Symphony’s most storied instruments.

Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is made up of a lot of people. That much is clear, from the moment the musicians ceremoniously file onto the stage, formal in bearing and attire.

Within minutes of this ritual, a mass of people becomes one, a kind of well-oiled machine, filling their concert hall with a presence and a magic not easily found outside of these walls.

And then they go their separate ways. Each musician has his or her own story, of course, and some have even been well-documented… but what of their instruments?

The instruments reside with these particular Charlotte musicians for the time being, but most live their own lives. Close-up inspections alone are enough to write home about. They’re hand-beaten brass, they’re repaired wood, they’re stretched sheep gut. Some have been deconstructed and reconstructed, or transformed into a totally different style of instrument.

They've passed hands—even famous ones. Some of them are extraordinarily rare, and some are really, really old. Fortunately for the instruments (and for our ears), even those rare old things are still being played. Surely these pieces, beautiful works of art in themselves, have plenty to share. So, we asked.

LEONA R DO SOTO T I M PA N I The Prototype “My timpani set was made by Adams, a Holland-based company, and brought into the United States as a prototype. It’s based on the Dresdner Apparatebau, timpani made in Dresden, Germany in the early 1900s, but made with a modern system. It’s a different system; there’s a distinct sound produced by minor details. It’s like Ferrari versus Lamborghini: They’re both great cars, but they have their differences. The same goes for drums—there are varying tastes for different kinds of drummers. The features of this drum haven’t been used in a set in a couple hundred years, I’d say. And the details—they don’t make instruments like that these days. Today, for example, timpani bowls are usually machine pressed, but the copper bowls in this set are manually hammered.

This model is called ‘Classic Vintage.’ I bought the original and, right now, it’s the only set in the country.

Eventually, there will be more.”

A L A N B L AC K CELLO The Ma Cello “I went to Boston years ago to visit my sister, who is also a musician. But I didn’t want to bring my cello because I would have to buy a plane ticket for it. So I borrowed a cello to play one day when we were together with some of her friends. They play in a string quartet together, on an amateur basis. I just remember touching the bow on the strings and saying ‘whoa.’

I was very interested in it, but I was told it wasn’t for sale because ‘Yo-Yo Ma was trying it’—this group happened to be good friends with Yo-Yo. But even if he were to buy this one, they told me, he already owned one that was made for him by the same maker.

So, of course I told them I was interested if he decided to sell. And so six weeks later I got a call. The other cello was available, and I was told to come get it. So I drove up to Boston, tried it for half an hour, and drove home with Yo-Yo Ma’s old cello.”

A N DR EA MU M M HARP The Ugly One “The only Lyon & Healy factory is in Chicago, where I used to live. I took the train to the factory just before I moved to Charlotte, and I ended up practicing on this one in their concert hall for seven hours. I wasn’t even looking for this style, this walnut with bronze coating. I don’t even think it’s pretty, aesthetically. I bought it for its sound: It’s one of the most beautiful harps I’ve ever played. It’s 85 pounds and most of that weight is in the neck. I have a van that I use to transport it, but I can’t leave it in the car for any period of time—Charlotte’s climate isn’t fun for a harpist. If the wood is exposed to too much moisture, it can start to warp. More importantly, the majority of my strings are actually gut, as in sheep gut. Since these are natural fibers, too much moisture or dampness—or too much dryness on the other hand—really messes with the instrument’s intonation. There’s a joke that a harp goes out of tune if you open up a door, and that’s actually true. I tune six times on any given day at the symphony. My house has a hydrometer in every room that has a harp. If it’s not 40 to 60 percent humidity then I break out the dehumidifier. And in the winter time: the humidifier. It’s a delicate balance.”

E M I LY C H A T H A M V IOLI N The Local and the Baroque “The violin I play with the symphony is made by luthier Kurt Widenhouse. He makes incredible instruments, and he lives just down the road in Belmont. I also have this other older violin which I bought off a lady in London. I took it to a guy in Raleigh and had him make it baroque because it just wasn’t happy being a modern instrument. It was made around 1880, and I don’t know who put the birds and the bees on the back of it. Some people might find it vulgar, but I find it beautiful and over the top. Baroque is kind of my one true love. It’s a whole different genre, a different style of playing.

You tune to it, a slightly lower pitch, and you have a different bow. It’s incredibly therapeutic, switching between the two.”

THOM AS BU RGE TROM BON E The Minick “My instrument is a Minick trombone. Larry David Minick was a tinkerer known for these incredible handmade brass instrument parts. He would take a standard trombone that was originally a Conn and transform it into something else entirely. He would rip the bell of the instrument right off and replace it with one he’d hand-beaten from a single sheet of metal, like mine. He would take out the leadpipe and make his own version of it. See, people believed that he entered the realm of genius when he was uninhibited—he was a drinker. And the proof that I have that he was uninhibited when he was replacing this leadpipe is the simplicity of his error. He’s pushed it together but it doesn’t go any further in because it’s too long. It doesn’t change the sound of the instrument at all, but it tells me he was drunk when he did it. Minick trombones are extremely rare now. You can’t find these instruments anymore, because Minick passed away years ago. Someone’s locked them up in an attic somewhere to keep them all pristine. I get it: They have such wonderful character. But the thing about the Minicks is that they play so beautifully. If you don’t play it then you’re kind of defeating the purpose of owning it. So I play this one, all the time.”

B E N JA M I N G E L L E R V IOL A The Award Winner “I bought my first viola from luthier Ted Skreko of Indianapolis Violins, only to later trade it in (plus another thousand dollars) for a new one he personally built for me. It’s modeled after a famous Gasparo da Salò instrument, down to the ‘free-hand’ perfling pattern on its back. My teacher, Michael Isaac Strauss, (then principal viola of Indianapolis Symphony) played on it for a month before delivering it to me in Aspen, Colorado on his way to a family vacation. This particular viola also won first prize in tone at a luthier competition. My bow is from another competition-winning maker up in St. Paul, Missouri, Matthew Wehling. I found one of his gold ones—his bows come in colors associated with Olympic medals—at a dealer in New York when I was working on my Master’s.

Thinking I’d borrow it only to play my recital, I ended up falling in love with it.”

K U RT R I ECK E N BASS The Restoration “This bass belonged to the former principal bass of Charlotte Symphony, Ivan Zugelj. I think he had played on it for four years. I don’t know where he got it, but I know the bass is now almost one hundred years old. It’s got 1920-something on it, but the last number is smudged. He had fallen on it onstage, and the bridge was pushed through the instrument. He sadly passed away shortly after this incident, and the symphony bought the bass from his son. They had it restored, had the neck replaced. But I didn’t see any of this happen. I happened to be in need of an instrument when I moved here from school, so the symphony offered me his.”

A MODERN STUDY OF AN ANCIENT ART Inimitable classic fresco painter Ben Long

by SUNNY HUBLER photos JAMEY PRICE

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“[Art] is a deep study of the passion that lurks in surprising corners—memory, dreams, silence, chaos, all within the breathtaking state of all the force of the unconscious in knowing that the sensation must always be sincere.”

Fresco, the Italian for “fresh,” describes a painting technique done on a plastered wall or ceiling, a la Da Vinci’s Last Supper or Michelangelo’s work during the Renaissance. But fresco painting dates even further back, as far as 2000 BC, when it was practiced by early artists across Rome, Egypt, India, and Greece. It's an incredibly time-consuming and meticulous process, not something, in other words, that you can dabble in. Frescoes remain a unique gem in the art world, a style truly reserved for the greats.

Ben Long, the grandson of McKendree Robbins Long—who was also a notable North Carolina artist—immersed himself in the study of fine art from a young age. Today, he stands as one of the preeminent American painters and one of very few doing fresco. A classical realist, Ben Long paints stunningly true-to-life figuratives, portraits, and landscapes in oil.

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Born in Statesville, Long completed his undergraduate education at UNC before deciding to pursue art with real fervor by making the move to New York City.

Long is deeply dedicated to his art—it is, he explains simply, his entire life.

“I paint mainly because it’s a deep love,” Long says. “Growing up I would draw in my grandfather’s studio. I think my direction in life was fate, it was meant to be. As a left-hander, drawing became my strongest language. The world of art was a wonder and the thrill of that I saw as a boy and see now, the same sweet light that I was meant to always pursue. To create a work of art is always a challenge. There is no level of passion that pursues the quest of the ever elusive beauty.”

After his move, Long became a member of the Art Students League of New York. By 1969 however

“I think my direction in life was fate, it was meant to be.”

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“I paint mainly because it's a deep love.”

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his focus was forced to shift—the war hit and Long chose to preempt the draft by enlisting in the Marine Corps.

He served just over two tours of duty in Vietnam as a Combat Officer. Interestingly, even during that time his passion for art could not be quieted. During his last tour he served as Commander of the Combat Art Team and many of the pieces he did during that time are now on display at the Smithsonian Institute in D.C. When his tenure in Vietnam had ended, Long was ready to return to his art. He traveled to Florence to apprentice with

internationally-renowned Maestro Pietro Annigoni, a man he had managed to connect and make plans with during his time in the Marines. To hone his craft, Long committed himself to Annigoni for nearly nine years and ended up residing in Florence for 15.

“During that time, I studied with [Annigoni] or stayed with him. He would observe things and then talk about it so you could catch on. But it was mainly the spirit of being in that kind of place where all the energy was so rich… I was just painting as I lived there, and I also assisted on my first fresco

with Annigoni. I thought wow, that’s something to think that that he could dream and create this. It was pretty inspiring to say the least.”

By 1984, Long had completed several frescoes in Italy which led to several major fresco projects in the U.S., including Charlotte’s Bank of America which is the largest secular fresco in the United States. He has seven other pieces total on display in the Queen City.

Long explains that his technique and his pursuit of his craft stems from a dedicated love he has of the classical masters:

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“It was mainly the spirit of being in that kind of place where all the energy was so rich...I thought wow, that’s something to think that he could dream and create this.”

Rembrandt, Velazquez, Van Dyke, Van Eyck, and Leonardo, to name just a few.

“I have made a hard study of how art is made.

It’s a deep study of the passion that lurks in surprising corners—memory, dreams, silence, chaos, all within the breathtaking state of all the force of the unconscious in knowing that the sensation must always be sincere.”

He explains that while the actual painting of one of his frescoes doesn’t take terribly long, it’s the preparation that requires extensive commitment. He often paints for 12-hour stretches when working on a fresco.

After his apprenticeship and time spent in Italy, Long lived in France for nearly another 15

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years. Since then, he has continued to split his time between the States and Europe. His work and life remains prolific: he has works in the Royal Academy as well as the Royal Portrait Society of London and has exhibited across Florence, London, Paris, Atlanta, San Francisco, New York, and the Carolinas.

To see more of Long’s work, you can visit his website at www.BenLongFineArt.com and view his work in Ann Long Gallery (no relation) in Charleston. The Queen City itself, graced with so many of his works, stands as a living exhibit of Long’s visionary art. info benlongfineart.com

“The world of art was a wonder and the thrill of that I saw as a boy and see now, the same sweet light that I was meant to always pursue.”

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Alejandra Laviada Magenta, 2014 Pigment print on Hahnemuhle photo rag paper 42 h x 35 w in 106.68h x 88.90w cm Edition 4/5 + 2 AP

BAC K I N F O C US LaCa Projects reopens with a collaborative new exhibition—In Focus/Enfoque —showcasing some of the finest contemporary Mexican photographers and addressing a wide array of themes, including gender, activism, and identity.

by COREY MILLER photos courtesy LACA PROJECTS After a torturous hiatus, Latin American Contemporary Art Projects is finally reopening, and not without some fanfare. When the Charlotte home of LaCa Projects welcomes visitors once again this fall, it will do so as part of an ambitious, multi-institution collaboration featuring contemporary Mexican photography. Oh, and it’ll have a café.

LaCa joins The Light Factory, The Mint Museum, The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, The McColl

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Center for Art + Innovation, SOCO Gallery, and the New Gallery of Modern Art in an exhibition initiative that will expose the work of more than 50 contemporary photographers from Mexico and the United States. This collaboration, dubbed In Focus/ Enfoque, will address a wide array of themes, including gender, activism, identity, globalism, and borders—a mass of contemporary art in dialogue with the Queen City.

Alejandra Laviada Blue, Yellow Intersection, 2014 Pigment print on Hahnemuhle photo rag paper 42 h x 35 w in 106.68h x 88.90w cm Edition 1/5 + 2 AP

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Alejandra Laviada Primary Colors #1 (Circle Studies), 2017 Pigment print on Hahnemuhle photo rag paper 22 h x 18 w in 55.88h x 45.72w cm Edition 1/5 + 2 AP

LaCa’s In Focus/Enfoque, featuring award-winning photographers Alejandra Laviada, Humberto Rios, and Karina Juárez, represents the gallery’s first-ever photography exhibition. The various works in the show concern themselves with topics ranging from loss to identity, creating visual narratives of the artists’ personal experiences.

LaCa’s part in the extensive exhibition shows until early November, but the gallery’s got another new installation that will last: Basal Coffee, headed up by coffee nerd and art enthusiast Bryce Laguer, now shares LaCa’s property. Juxtaposing responsibly sourced coffee with contemplative art, the café looks to ensure that the gallery is, more than ever, a place to linger. info lacaprojects.com basalcoffee.com

Karina Juárez Insomnia (from the series “Acciones para recordar”) Oaxaca, Mexico, 2012 Glicée on 310 gsm cotton paper 31 1/2h x 21 w in 80.01h x 53.34w cm Edition of 7 + 2 AP

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Humberto Ríos San Rafael, Ciudad de México (from the series “Tránsito”), 2011 digital photography. archival pigment print 15 95/127h x 23 79/127w in 40h x 60w cm Edition 1/5 + 2 AP

Humberto Ríos Atlixco, Puebla, México (from the series “Suspending Time”), 2015 digital photography. archival pigment print 8 84/127h x 12 126/127w in 22h x 33w cm Edition 1/5 + 2 AP

Humberto Ríos Iztacalco, Ciudad de México (from the series “Suspending Time”), 2014 digital photography. archival pigment print 8 84/127h x 12 126/127w in 22h x 33w cm Edition 1/5 + 2 AP

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Photo Courtesy of Dewane Frutiger

BURK UZZLE

BURK UZZLE’S LEGACY From Woodstock to the new American South, a portrait of the man behind the lens.

by SUNNY HUBLER photos BURK UZZLE portrait of Burk Uzzle DEWANE FRUTIGER

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© Burk Uzzle.

All Rights Reserved.

W H AT M A KES A MERICA? Depending on who you ask (and when, and where…) you might get some very different answers. But that’s always been part of the beauty of this country: There isn’t really one America, and when you can believe that, well, it all opens up.

Sometimes we need a reminder of the multiplicities these United States contain. Someone or something to push us outside our comfort zones, someone to expand our idea of what we think is “normal.” And really, outside of art, there are few other things that can charge right into your very own living room and bring you face-to-face with the unusual, the unknown, the previously unseen.

Burk Uzzle knows this. He’s entirely captivated with our country. As equal parts documentarian and visionary, Uzzle has fiercely dedicated practically his entire life to preserving a view of the States that is at once entirely his own and somehow also universally recognizable. From his stark images of today’s South, captured now that he’s returned to his home state of North Carolina, to the iconic revelry he documented at the 1969 Woodstock, Uzzle did, and still does, what few can with a shutter and a lens.

As Vicki Goldberg, in her foreword for Uzzle's Just Add Water, put it, “[Burk] has conducted a visual love affair with America for years… He sympathizes with her bad moods, her tragedies, her rather glaring imperfections, her obstreperous beauty, her unlikely aspirations.”

The man is a true photojournalist, awardwinning with a prestigious pedigree, and a real artist, single-minded in his devotion to his craft. He produces prints with a sort of composition and nuance that often closely mirror fine art on canvas.

“Photographers hold a heavy responsibility as we shoulder the capacity to optically convey information,” he says. “We don’t always do that well. My belief is that so-called documentary photography is, in fact, incredibly subjective. How can it not be when we chose where to stand, in which direction to point the camera, and when to click the shutter?”

Uzzle poses this query in that signature contemplative manner of his, which, to be clear, is a disposition well-earned. In 1962, when in his early 20s, Burk became the youngest contract photographer hired by LIFE Magazine. He was a member—and two-time president—of the prestigious international Magnum photo cooperative. So this is just how Uzzle lives, by this point in his career: Political and aware, he’s a man who takes the ethics of that lens very, very seriously.

Born in Raleigh in 1938, the eldest of four children, Uzzle first started taking photographs with a cheap little Kodak box camera as a teen.

His parents were less than thrilled with his preoccupation, but Uzzle was characteristically undeterred.

“Back in those days, no one took photography seriously, but it’s the only thing I’ve ever loved,” Uzzle recalls.

He sold his prints to state newspapers, and with that money and the padding of paper route income, Uzzle soon graduated to a Rolleicord and 4x5 Speed Graphic. Through the countless hours spent finessing his craft and chasing down images, Uzzle launched himself into his first career position as photographer at The News & Observer of Raleigh. After the N&O, Burk was with BlackStar in Houston for one year prior to his appointment at LIFE Magazine.

“I’ve always needed freedom to be a bit on the wild side, to climb out on those limbs of career uncertainty, and independently make my way and my art.”

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© Burk Uzzle.

All Rights Reserved.

© Burk Uzzle.

“My tenure there provided the worldly education I denied myself by avoiding college,” Uzzle explains. “The extraordinary variety of assignments and places coupled with the magazine’s demanding high standards kept me enthralled. I was a veritable sponge, learning fast and finding my way through unimaginable experiences.”

Uzzle isn’t exactly someone who can sit still for long, however. He took his education, and he kept looking forward.

“With LIFE, and later with Magnum, the theology of the institution can become entangling and aesthetically confining,” he explains. “I’ve always needed freedom to be a bit on the wild side,

All Rights Reserved.

to climb out on those limbs of career uncertainty and independently make my way and my art.”

Giving up a position as prestigious as most photojournalists could ever hope for wasn’t a decision made lightly, but creative freedom rarely beckons quietly. And Uzzle is, at his core, more artist than reporter. Ever since leaving, Uzzle has worked for himself only. A few years ago, after living both abroad and across the U.S. for decades, Uzzle made the decision to set up a sprawling studio in downtown Wilson, North Carolina where he is, he says, the happiest he’s been in his whole life. He left North Carolina at 20 and didn’t return until he was 70.

“North Carolina is home. I identify with the culture, the landscape, and both the warmth of the people and their eccentricities.”

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© Burk Uzzle.

All Rights Reserved.

“It’s just what this damn country needs.

People getting along.”

“North Carolina is home,” he says simply. “I identify with the culture, the landscape, and both the warmth of the people and their eccentricities.”

Part of what’s making Uzzle so happy here is that he is busier than ever today. A documentary, “f/11 and Be There”, is being made about his life, and his latest photography projects are ongoing.

Uzzle left New York for his home state specifically to document the people and landscape here, and that’s exactly what he’s doggedly spending his days doing.

Most recently, Uzzle has been methodically producing a portrait of North Carolina to live alongside his preexisting body of work, which is already hardly less than a veritable anthology of the last century. He captured Borneo, the Cambodian and Vietnam wars, MLK and the Civil Rights Movement, and Woodstock, to name a few.

Six decades into this whole photography thing, he shows no sign of slowing or of backing down. By chronicling the culture of the African-American community from the area in which he himself grew up, and with his exhibition titled “Perceptions and Recognitions: African Americans of Eastern North Carolina”, Uzzle has unmasked everyday people in extraordinary fashion.

“African-American culture has always been a muse for me,” Uzzle tells us. “When the Greenville Museum of Art invited me to produce a new body of work for an exhibition, it extended my reach into the community I had been photographing since returning to North Carolina.”

With the museum, Uzzle also came to the conclusion it would be important to show the twenty pictures he took in 1968 of the death and funeral of Martin Luther King Jr. This larger composition about race and humanity is, for Uzzle, a timely and important discourse.

“It’s just what this damn country needs,” Uzzle says plainly. “People getting along.”

Art and journalism meet for Uzzle here again, and his visually-dazzling surrealism is in full display with each piece from the exhibition: Congregation Ladies, a picture of the churchgoers of today’s South, and his portrait of North Carolina native Dr. Alma Cobb Hobb.

Though he’s seen all iterations of photography over the years, Uzzle has switched over to all digital. He wouldn’t go back to film, either, professing a love for the way digital has allowed him to reimagine photography.

“Doing something new keeps me young.”

And with that spirit, and with a legacy so looping and winding, does Uzzle have a favorite moment, a highlight, a memory that surfaces above the rest? The answer is telling of the man himself—despite all the international travel, prestige, and presence at major world events, Uzzle has been, and remains, dedicated to the nuance of everyday life.

“I would be doing a disservice to my many wonderful subjects without referring to them all as the highlights of my life,” he says plainly. “I just look forward to whatever the next day brings.”

SOCO Gallery in Charlotte carries Burk Uzzle’s work, and f/11, due on screens soon, ended production in April of 2017.

“I would be doing a disservice to my many wonderful subjects without referring to them all as the highlights of my life.”

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info burkuzzle.com

© Burk Uzzle.

All Rights Reserved.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN MCERLAIN

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| @UNCLEJUT

C I T Y A O F

Twelve of Charlotte’s most talented photographers push the limits to capture the Queen City.

P O R T R A I T

intro by SUNNY HUBLER

We live in a time when the most photos, ever, are being taken. The conservative estimates place the annual number of snapshots at 1.1 trillion worldwide. Smartphones have put a camera in everyone’s proverbial—and literal—backpocket, helping proliferate a generation that can grab a photo of anything, anytime, anywhere. If you don’t have a photo of it, did it even happen?

Popular belief often says that ease of access to an art form dilutes the talent pool, but we feel confidently that photographic talent is still alive and well. Droves of local photographers take to the streets of Charlotte nearly every single week to capture the people, places, and things that define our Southern city.

These artists have perfected their craft by doing the work: learning the equipment, the angles, the lighting, playing with what works and what doesn’t. They lie patiently in wait until the sun is low enough in the sky to paint it in hues of purple, pink, and orange. They climb onto the highest buildings and ledges—pushing limits and skirting rules—to get a panoramic skyline view.

In a city that’s rapidly growing upward, these artists are also documentarians. New rises creep daily toward the Carolina blue, and the metropolis that’s here today is already a different creature from the one whose streets we walked yesterday. As purveyors and producers of beautiful imagery, these photographers are inevitably curating the Queen City’s image at this fleeting moment in its history.

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JUSTIN MCERLAIN @unclejut 32 years old Born in Deptford, NJ Canon 6D

K YO H. NA M @kyohnam & @dailykyo 28 years old Born in Seoul, South Korea Canon 5D and Sony RX1R II

CAMDEN KEISTLER @camdenkeistler 15 years old Born in Charlotte, NC Canon 6D

ROBERT KISIAH @robertbro0ks 29 years old Born in Winter Haven, FL Canon 80D

FA R A I G WA T A @farai_photography 35 years old Born in Harare, Zimbabwe Nikon D5300

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BRIAN TWITTY @shootbt 44 years old Born in Charlotte, NC Canon 6D

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LEWIS NORMAN @normthestorm5 35 years old Born in Lenoir, NC Nikon D3300

NICK REND @nrend 39 years old Born in Indiana, PA Sony a6500 and Sony a7R II

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CODY HUGHES @clhughes21 26 years old Born in Charleston, SC Nikon D5100

WILL TAY LOR @thewilltaylor 27 years old Born in Charlotte, NC Nikon D750 Sigma Art 12-24mm lens

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DA N I EL W EISS @danielweissventures 27 years old Born in Steubenville, OH Sony a6500

ALEX SOUDER @alexandersouthnc 29 years old Born in Kingsport, TN Canon 6D

CREATIVE PURSUITS The following galleries, architects, and design businesses are dedicated to the pursuit of bringing art to life, at home and beyond. photo by JAMEY PRICE

Featured in this section: Stella G. Contemporary | Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art Jerald Melberg Gallery | Sozo Gallery | Picture House Gallery New Gallery of Modern Art | Shain Gallery Mermans Architecture | City Supply Co. SPONSORED PARTNER SECTION

SPONSORED PARTNER SECTION

ART GALLERY

STELLA G. CONTEMPORARY Charlotte, NC

C

harlotte’s newest art gallery, Stella G. Contemporary, exhibits emerging, mid-career, and established artists who are all working with a wide array of mediums, from contemporary paintings and works on paper to sculpture. Nestled in the backlot at Park Road Shopping center, their mission is to enrich the surrounding community through art, and to provide artists greater exposure to new markets.

The gallery’s first group exhibition, Come Together, opens September 16 and will showcase work from all gallery artists, including Chris Robb, Jane Booth, Gian Garofalo, Karl Klingbiel, Linc Thelen, Matt Devine, Lisa Kowalski, Nick Veasey, and Bryan Ricci.

Contemporary Art Gallery

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“We showcase artists from all over the country,” owner Gian Garofalo explains, “and this exhibition will be a great opportunity to experience a broad body of work during one visit to the gallery.”

Stella G. Contemporary will have rotating exhibits throughout the year, and later hours on the weekends. The gallery, a unique space with beautiful art, has an atmosphere that’s truly welcoming to passersby, no matter how extensive one’s knowledge of art may be. That’s the whole idea: Garofalo is extremely happy to be a part of the local community here in Charlotte. Art should bring people together, and Stella G. Contemporary is poised to do that.

530 Brandywine Road

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Charlotte, NC

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980–219–7300

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stellagcontemporary.com

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SPONSORED PARTNER SECTION

ART GALLERY

Pictured clockwise from right: Grant Drumheller Munich Crowd • Sonya Pfeiffer, owner • Cassandra Richardson, gallery director • David Patchen Aqua Piscene

ELDER GALLERY

OF CONTEMPORARY ART Charlotte, NC

E

lder Gallery of Contemporary Art is a place where artists and their art tell stories that help us make sense of the world. Art communicates across barriers of class, culture, and language. Art allows us to imagine the unimaginable, encourages us to build bridges of understanding, and brings energy and creativity to enhance our lives.

Under new ownership, and with the depth of integrity and quality established by founder Larry Elder, Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art is excited to announce its grand re-opening on Saturday, October 28, 2017. They are thrilled to be the first gallery in North Carolina to offer fine glass art by nationally-recognized

Gallery Hours Tue-Fri 11a-6p Sat 11a – 5p

Contemporary Art Gallery

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1520 South Tryon Street

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Charlotte, NC

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artists Jon Kuhn, David Patchen, and Marlene Rose. The gallery is also excited to introduce fresh contemporary twodimensional artists, including Charles Williams and Grant Drumheller.

Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art welcomes everyone to experience the power of art. Even those among us who cannot put oil to canvas, carve stone into shape, or coax molten glass into sculpture can appreciate and learn from the artist’s interpretation of the human experience. At their best, the arts strike a universal chord that suggests we are not alone in our human experience.

Come curious.

704-370-6337

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eldergalleryclt.com

SPONSORED PARTNER SECTION

ART GALLERY

JERALD MELBERG GALLERY

Charlotte, NC

J

erald Melberg Gallery has been the foremost commercial gallery in Charlotte since its inception over 30 years ago. Founded by former Mint Museum curator Jerald Melberg, the gallery exhibits and offers museum-quality works of art for acquisition to private individuals, corporations, and museums worldwide. The gallery also provides consultancy services.

Artists of national and international acclaim Brian Rutenberg, Wolf Kahn, Robert Motherwell, Romare Bearden Raul Diaz, and others are represented by Jerald Melberg. The artists represented are chosen with extreme care: The mission of Jerald Melberg Gallery is to exhibit works of art that have a particular visual poetry, a

spiritual quality, and an inner integrity that transcends the everyday, regardless of being abstract or representational.

Due to years of participation in over 150 international art fairs, Jerald Melberg Gallery also enjoys a national and international reputation as one of America’s premier fine art dealers. The gallery is a longstanding member of the Fine Art Dealers Association.

Visit Jerald Melberg Gallery this fall to see works by realist painter Christopher Clamp, who deftly renders vintage objects from his childhood to stir feelings of nostalgia and to illuminate subtle commentary on the human experience.

The exhibition, Stories In Stillness, will be on view September 16 through October 28.

Gallery Hours Mon-Fri 10a-6p Sat 10a-4p By appointment

Commercial Art Gallery • 625 South Sharon Amity Road • Charlotte, North Carolina • 704.365.3000 • jeraldmelberg.com

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ART GALLERY

SOZO GALLERY Charlotte, NC

S

Gallery Hours Mon–Fri 10a–4p Sat By Appointment Only

ozo Gallery is a contemporary art gallery located in the city center of Charlotte, North Carolina. The gallery brings fresh, original artwork from local, national, and international artists to both well-established and new clients, corporations, and institutions.

Sozo firmly believes in supporting art programming and community. They do so through Grier’s Gallery and The Uptown Crawl. Grier’s Gallery at Hemby Children’s Hospital was started with assistance from Sozo’s owner and artistic director, Hannah Blanton, and provides monthly art lessons to patients and families with the help of local artists. Sozo was an integral initiator and supporter in Charlotte Center City’s Uptown Crawl, a monthly, free-of-charge

gallery and museum crawl to promote and support Charlotte’s growing artistic and cultural community.

Sozo Gallery prides itself in taking a personal, friendly, educational approach to art consultation. The focus is to inspire soulful connections between the buyer, art, and artist by promoting a variety of artists and displaying works that engage all of the senses. Through a consultancy and friendship in Houston, the gallery has even begun showing many nationally recognized artists rarely exhibited in the Southeast.

Though these far-reaching acquisitions are recent, this ambition has always been part of Sozo’s philosophy: Great art, and everything that can be gleaned from it, is for everyone.

Contemporary Art Gallery • Hearst Tower • 214 North Tryon Street • Charlotte, NC • 704-575-6777 • sozogallery.net

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SPONSORED PARTNER SECTION

ART GALLERY

PICTURE HOUSE GALLERY

Charlotte, NC

I

f there’s one gallery that every experienced art collector in Charlotte knows of, it’s Picture House Gallery. With over 40 years of expertise serving the same community, the Picture House has rightfully earned the reputation as one of Charlotte’s premier resources for major collectors and institutions.

Priding itself on the ability to find a piece that can match any collector’s taste, décor, and budget, the gallery showcases styles ranging from traditional to abstract in every size imaginable. Their eclectic collection, including rare 16th and 20th century work secured from private estates, features oil paintings, watercolors, pastels, and a variety of

Gallery

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1522 East Fourth Street

sculptures all created by nationally and internationally recognized artists.

For gallery owner Bob Griffin, however, a unique collection isn’t enough. He believes not only in offering great art, but also in providing great services.

“We have a loyal clientele that keeps coming back,” Griffin affirms, “because of our service-oriented philosophy.”

All art in the gallery is owned by Griffin, allowing for greater control over pricing.

He and his team also offer appraisals, placement, custom framing, and restoration services to meet their clients’ every art need.

Conveniently located near Uptown Charlotte, The Picture House Gallery provides worldclass art with world-class services.

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Charlotte, NC

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704-333-8235

Gallery Hours Mon–Fri 10a–4p Sat 10a–3p Sun Closed

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picturehousegallery.com

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SPONSORED PARTNER SECTION

ART GALLERY

NEW GALLERY OF MODERN ART Charlotte, NC

T

he New Gallery of Modern Art presents a range of artwork that provides education, builds collections, and supports local endeavors, and introduces new aesthetics. Gallery staff skillfully enlightens and advises both the novice and expert artenthusiast on purchasing art and facilitates artist’s conversations; while also offering in-home consultations and a corporate art loan program. Aiming to develop collectors’ taste for art while fostering a spirit of collecting, the New Gallery carries artworks of the highest museum quality.

“Our vision,” says Gallery Director Irina Toshkova, “is to simultaneously show compelling and provocative art that really opens people’s eyes to new materials and new ways of seeing.”

Gallery Hours Tue–Fri 10a–6p Sat 11a–5p Sun-Mon

By Appointment Only

435 S. Tryon Street, Suite 110

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Charlotte, NC

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Inventory includes a selection of graphic works by Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, Joan Miró, Henri Matisse, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Roy Lichtenstein, and Andy Warhol. To complement its portfolio of 20th-century modern masters, the New Gallery showcases internationallyknown contemporary artists such as Damien Hirst, Anish Kapoor, Alex Katz, Robert Mars, and Hunt Slonem, as well as renowned regional artists like Shaun Cassidy, Maja Godlewska, Isaac Payne, Barbara Schreiber, Charles Williams, and Stephen Wilson.

Located in the heart of Uptown Charlotte in The Green Complex, gallery staff welcomes the opportunity to share their extensive inventory with you.

704-373-1464

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newgalleryofmodernart.com

SPONSORED PARTNER SECTION

ART GALLERY

SHAIN GALLERY Charlotte, NC

A

fter Gaby Shain first opened its doors in 1998, Shain Gallery has become not only one of Charlotte’s top art destinations, but also one of the most influential galleries in the Southeast. For twenty years, Gaby has spotlighted Charlotte’s local artists while also bringing new artwork to the community. The gallery has built up an impressive clientele in the process.

Carrying on Gaby Shain’s legacy as the new owner of Shain Gallery is former Gallery Director Sybil Godwin, who recently took the reins after four and a half years under Gaby’s wing. Sybil continues to uphold Gaby’s precedent by spotlighting up-and-coming artists such as Louisiana’s Lynn Sanders, bringing

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in new works, and supporting Shain’s current artists.

Shain Gallery offers works from over forty artists at varying values, allowing anyone a chance to find a piece they can afford. To ease even the most novice of collectors into Charlotte’s growing art scene, Shain Gallery offers consultation and acquisition assistance, and will travel to a client’s home with a piece.

“It’s one of my favorite parts of my job,” says Sybil. “I encourage it. You kind of have to see the painting in your home before you buy it.”

Visit Shain Gallery in the heart of Myers Park to see their impressive selection and upcoming exhibits.

2823 Selwyn Avenue

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Charlotte, NC

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Gallery Hours Mon–Sat 10–4

704.334.7744

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shaingallery.com

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ARCHITECTS

MERMANS ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN Charlotte, NC

M

ermans Architecture & Design is only three years old. Bryan Mermans says that he took the long path to starting his own firm, with many years in school and 12 years of experience designing big, complex projects with other firms. But he wouldn’t have had it any other way: The years of professional experience set him apart from other residential designers and architects—Mermans approaches the art of architecture on a different level.

“I’m infatuated with art in many forms,” Bryan says, “and I love the complexity in architecture. In recent years, I’ve fallen in love with the personal nature and expressiveness that custom residential design could bring.”

Architecture and Design

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2108 South Boulevard, Suite 103

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Charlotte, NC

Bryan pulls from many influences in his architectural designs and takes it as a compliment when someone cannot figure what style it is. Born in Holland and raised in North Carolina, Bryan travels frequently, and every trip influences every new project. He mixes architectural influences, input from clients, advice from consultants, and the ideas of the designers in his office.

“I even ask my 10-year-old daughter to criticize our designs,” Bryan says, “and I take it seriously. I believe everyone brings value to the design process. It’s a messy process. But a beautiful composition, with a perfect blend of form and function, will always prevail.”

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704-604-8517

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marchd.com

SPONSORED PARTNER SECTION

INTERIORS

CITY SUPPLY Charlotte, NC

C

ity Supply Co. joined the historic Plaza Midwood business district in 2000. The company was founded with a clear aim: to fill a missing niche of unique, classic, and modern home furnishings in Charlotte. With over 20 years of furniture expertise behind their team, City Supply Co. finds patrons the perfect pieces to complement any home.

Custom upholstery is their specialty, and by taking advantage of their extensive frame and fabric options, customers can have custom pieces made by local manufacturers, complete with the store’s lifetime guarantee on upholstery frames.

“We believe that well-designed and well-made products should be

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timeless and affordable,” owner Robert Boyd says.

Boyd and his company work to maintain a consistently fresh inventory of unique products sourced from across the world, including an impressive selection of affordable, modern art. With the team’s outstanding level of knowledge, they also happily help clients find the perfect place for art—and more—with City Supply’s interior design services. City Supply Co. makes sure they have something for everyone, including a broad selection of lighting, accessories, gifts, and rugs.

“From home design services to helping to find the perfect gift,” Boyd stresses, “we strive to exceed your expectations.”

1219 Thomas Ave

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Charlotte, NC

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704-347-2489

Store Hours Tue–Thu 11a–7p Fri–Sat 11a–6p Sun-Mon Closed

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citysupplycharlotte.com

OCT 2017 • @QCEXCLUSIVE • 193

IN DEX AGM Imports............................................... 81 Acquistions ..............................................115 Allen’s Jewelers .......................................42 Amina Rubinacci ........................................24 Arcadia .......................................................55 Artistic Contractors .............................14 Ashley J Design ..........................................26 Baku .............................................................95 Barrington’s .............................................93 Beads Incorporated ................................33 Bedside Manor ...........................................111 Blackhawk Hardware .............................76 Blue Ridge Mountain Club ......................35 Bruce Julian .............................................139 Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. .................37 Cadenza Granite & Marble .....................85 Carolina Sculpture ................................68 Celedore ...................................................113 Charlotte Latin School ........................39 Charlotte Rug Gallery ..........................63 Clark Hall Doors & Windows ................107 Classic Attic ............................................194 Clean Catch ..............................................95 Clear Smile ................................................74 Cococo ......................................................133 Cosmetic Dentistry of the Carolinas.. 21 Cottingham Chalk Hayes .......................49 Couture Knots ..........................................69 Craft Growler Shop ................................91 David’s LTD ...................................................2 Design Centers International .............115 Designia Landscaping ............................131 Dewoolfson Down .................................100 Diamond Springs ......................................44

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Diamonds Direct ......................Back Cover Discovery Place....................................... 34 Donald Haack Diamonds ........................29 Elite Design Group ..................................101 Engle & Volkers ........................................67 Evoke ..........................................................127 Fahrenheit ..................................................12 Ferguson ....................................................89 Gerrard Builders ....................................46 Good Food On Montford ........................93 Good’s Home Furnishings ......................105 Grande Custom Homes ............................30 Grandfather Homes .................................61 Hampton Inn .............................................127 Hearth & Patio ..........................................141 Hunstad Kortesis .....................................75 Infinity Spa .................................................71 Insight Automation .................................45 Isabella ......................................................117 Ivey’s Hotel ...............................................36 J. Sam’s .........................................................80 Jas Am Group ...............................................99 Jerald Melberg .........................................52 Karen Kettler Design ..............................117 Kingswood .................................................43 LaCa Projects ............................................56 Lake Norman Realty .................................59 Land Rover ..................................................19 Lauren Nicole Designs ...........................103 Lucy & Co. .....................................................51 Majestic Bath ............................................96 McDevitt Agency ......................................25 Meredith Jackson .....................................60 Metrolina Auto Group ..............................6

Mint Museum ..............................................44 Movement Mortgage ...............................57 Myron Greer .............................................139 Nestlewood .............................................124 New Gallery of Modern Art ....................53 New Life Building Supplies .....................137 New Old..................................................... 195 Noble Food Pursuits ...............................79 Oasis ..........................................................135 Omni Hotels & Resorts ..........................129 Picture House Gallery .............................41 Piedmont Town Center ...........................83 Pink Hanger ................................................42 Premier Sotheby’s ....................................10 RK Motors ...................................................27 Rare Roots Hospitality ...........................91 Remax Exclusive .........................................4 RugCulture ...............................................113 Sally’s Optical Secrets ..........................73 Satin MedSpa .............................................28 Smoke ..........................................................93 Southern Highland Craft Guild ...........38 Stagioni ......................................................93 Stark ............................................................17 Stickley Audi & Co. ..................................113 Storey Home ..............................................65 Technocom ................................................141 The Shade Store .......................................109 The Swag ....................................................129 Theory Design Studio ..............................53 Tiny ..............................................................40 Umstead Hotel & Spa ...............................87 Walker Zanger ..........................................23 Windsor Jewelers ......................................8