Charlotte SHOUT! - !con Installation
I was honored to paint an !con sculpture for the Charlotte SHOUT! arts festival, inspired by the 2025 theme: Conservation.
What’s an !con? It’s a 5-foot-tall sculpture shaped like an exclamation mark—designed to grab attention and amplify the voices of local creatives. Each year, SHOUT! selects local artists to bring these icons to life, and this was my first time being one of them.
The Concept
Behind the Design
My design pays tribute to North Carolina’s official state symbols, including the Cardinal, Dogwood tree, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, and Honeybee. It took over 40 hours of painting spread across two months, and it quickly became one of the most detailed and challenging pieces I’ve ever created. The balance, symmetry, and precision required pushed me creatively in the best way.
To document the journey, I produced a 7-part video series that captures the full process—from blank canvas to final brushstroke. Each episode highlights a different stage of the painting, paired with educational facts about the symbols I chose.
📺 Haven’t seen it yet? Watch the full series HERE
Creating this series was a major stretch for me. It involved researching, editing, and posting while managing client projects, meetings, and weekly classes. Honestly, there were moments I wanted to chuck my laptop out the window—but I’m so glad I stuck with it
The Installation
!con on Display
This was the largest painting I’ve ever done, and despite all the challenges, I loved every minute of it.
The !cons were displayed in the lobby of Fifth Third Bank Center, 200 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202, until the end of the 2025 SHOUT Festival.
more projects
Want to see more?
.png)
.png)
project intake form