Celebrating Valentine’s Day with 7 of Charlotte’s Coolest Creative Couples
“Our community doesn’t suffer from a scarcity mentality. We believe that a rising tide raises all ships. There is a genuine celebration of each other and appreciation for each other’s gifts.” – Krystle Baller
Roses are red, violets are blue … creativity is even better in twos. (Okay, poetry isn’t my strength, but it is Jay Ward’s and Kia Flow’s.) But love is in the air, and we’re celebrating with a Valentine’s Day Q&A with some of Charlotte’s coolest creative couples. We asked for submissions via our Instagram and these dynamic duos really delivered.
Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
Creative Couple #1: Sasha & Larry Manley
How long have you lived in Charlotte?
Sasha: 13 years
Larry: 14 years
In what creative media do you work? What skills do you use?
Sasha: Being a creative has allowed me to work in many different media. It keeps me happy. I’ve been a content creator since 2008. In that time, I’ve also done photography, graphic design, painting, filmmaking, podcasting, acting and more. My skills have always included being a student. If there is something I want to do, I simply learn how to do it.
Larry: I’ve mostly been focused on podcasting and editing for our show. I also help Sasha behind the scenes with her films, scripts, photography and DIYs. I’d say my skills include creative direction/advising. I’m mostly a behind-the-scenes kind of guy.
Lightning Round
Do you do creative work together? If so, what do you make? What’s the first project you remember working on together?
Yes, we do work together. Our podcast, Married Creatives, started in 2018. A new season is brewing, and we are excited to share it soon. Thinking back to one of our first projects … our pregnancy announcement video in 2014 was a fun mini-production that we are still pretty proud of. As creative parents, our best collaboration/work comes from raising our sons as a team. Working in creative careers and juggling parenthood is a challenge. It’s been wonderful incorporating our mediums with our children and supporting their creative processes, too. It’s what keeps us going.
What’s one thing you love about Charlotte’s creative community?
It’s collaborative and welcoming at any level. It doesn’t matter if you are a novice or a seasoned vet. We love it.
How are you going to celebrate Valentine’s Day during COVID?
We will be at home with our two amazing sons. I’m sure it will involve some sort of creative project. Because, why not?
Where can we find out more about your work?
How can people tip you online?
Sasha: PayPal
Larry: Cash App: $TheNotoriousNerd
Creative Couple #2: Krystle Baller & Elizabeth Palmisano
How long have you lived in Charlotte?
Krystle: 12 years
Elizabeth: 20 years
In what creative media do you work? What skills do you use?
Krystle: I’m the frontwoman for local band, RICHARD. I own Pachyderm Music Lab, a music school on 22nd Street and love teaching music. “Lady Rockstars” is something rad I created where I put women in bands and teach guitar, voice and bass. It looks a little different after COVID, but we are having fun virtually. I’m also the music and volunteer director for Girls Rock Charlotte, a nonprofit that uses music and film to amplify confidence in girls and gender-diverse youth.
Elizabeth: My primary media is play. I am a multi-media fiber and installation artist. I’m best known for creating art that promotes healing, fosters inclusiveness and broadens perspective and vision. I am passionate about expressive arts and partner with schools and nonprofits to offer community workshops and classes. I host a virtual (thanks, COVID) open studio twice a month for people to tap into their creativity, let loose and play.
Lightning Round
Do you do creative work together? If so, what do you make? What’s the first project you remember working on together?
Creating safe spaces together is something that happens often with us. We developed programming for Girls Rock Charlotte’s virtual summer camp in 2020 and collaborated on building sacred space in the Conversations with Nature installation at Goodyear Arts. That show unfortunately didn’t open (it was the weekend in March everything shut down because of COVID), but it was beautifully photographed. You can see This Hallowed Ground on Elizabeth’s website.
What’s one thing you love about Charlotte’s creative community?
There’s plenty for everyone! Our community doesn’t suffer from a scarcity mentality. We believe a rising tide raises all ships. There is a genuine celebration of each other and appreciation for each other’s gifts.
How are you going to celebrate Valentine’s Day during COVID?
We’re going to hang out with our kids and skate with badass Lo’Vonia Parks and company for her birthday!
How can people tip you online?
Krystle: Venmo: @krystleballer | Cashapp: $krystleballer
Elizabeth: Venmo: @elizabeth-palmisano-2 | Cashapp: $elizabethpalmisano
Photo Credit: Lo’Vonia Parks
Creative Couple #3: Kevin & Monique Douglas
How long have you lived in Charlotte?
Kevin: I grew up partially in Concord and returned to Charlotte 20 years ago.
Monique: 13 years
In what creative media do you work? What skills do you use?
Kevin: Photography and videography. We create dynamic branding concepts through a combination of innovative digital technology and personalized branding consultation.
Monique: I’m a personal branding consultant and a poet. I create written content centered around telling brand stories and then curate the visual production utilizing my husband and our team members for photography and videography.
Lightning Round
Do you do creative work together? If so, what do you make? What’s the first project you remember working on together?
Yes. We officially merged our brands Jan. 1, 2021 to provide clients with visual and written content for their social media, web and marketing.
One of our first official projects [together] was with a high-profile executive. We curated his shoot so phenomenally that when the magazine he was to be featured in received the photography, they decided he should appear on the front cover!
What’s one thing you love about Charlotte’s creative community?
We love the diversity and the ability to be a part of mentoring our younger generation of creatives and providing them a space where they feel at home to showcase their talents.
How are you going to celebrate Valentine’s Day during COVID?
We share the opinion that love should be shown every day of the year … so love is always in the air with the Douglases. We will share that day with local talent as we are hosting a micro-event at our studio featuring poetry, jazz and R&B artists.
Where can we find out more about your work?
Monique: INSTAGRAM
Creative Couple #4: Andy & Saul Waizer
How long have you lived in Charlotte?
Both: Six months
In what creative media do you work? What skills do you use?
Andy: Painting in canvas, oils, acrylics. Light painting with fire and lights.
Saul: Photography with a focus on portraits, Urbex (urban exploration) and travel photography.
Lightning Round
Do you do creative work together? If so, what do you make? What’s the first project you remember working on together?
We always do fun creative projects together and particularly enjoy long-exposure photography with fire and lights. It’s a family activity for us. The first project we did together was a fire-spinning long exposure photo shoot on the beach. You can see it on our Instagram.
What’s one thing you love about Charlotte’s creative community?
We absolutely love the diversity of Charlotte’s creative (and ever-growing) community.
How are you going to celebrate Valentine’s Day during COVID?
Staying home and celebrating with our children.
Where can we find out more about your work?
Andy: INSTAGRAM
Creative Couple #5: Kailyn Downen & Jorge Vargas
How long have you lived in Charlotte?
Kailyn: One year. I just returned after moving away for eight years. I grew up in Fort Mill.
Jorge: Just over a year.
In what creative media do you work? What skills do you use?
Kailyn: This year I launched my business, Boukai Flowers, a local flower delivery service. I work with flowers and color theory. My background is in advertising as an art director, so I’m using a lot of those same visual design skills – but learning a lot of new tools along the way.
Jorge: I’ve been working in the experiential advertising/marketing field for about seven years. On the daily, I’m switching from 2-D to 3-D digital design ranging from editorial layout to event design. In my personal time, I’m working on character design illustration and 3-D modeling/sculpting.
Lightning Round
Do you do creative work together? If so, what do you make? What’s the first project you remember working on together?
We’ve collaborated on a number of graphic design projects – T-shirt design, website landing pages for local businesses, logo design for a friend’s company. Jorge does all the photography for Boukai, so that’s an ongoing collaboration as well. Sometimes it’s smooth sailing, other times it’s … just sailing.
What’s one thing you love about Charlotte’s creative community?
We love that it’s diverse, welcoming and constantly growing. There’s so much amazing talent. We’re excited to continue meeting other creatives and hopefully build some collaborative relationships in the future.
How are you going to celebrate Valentine’s Day during COVID?
By delivering flowers! And then we plan to pick up a six-pack from a local brewery and binge-watch some shows.
Where can we find out more about your work?
How can people tip you online?
Kailyn: Order a Boukai!
Jorge: Instagram DM / Website
Creative Couple #6: Phil & Laura Beebe
How long have you lived in Charlotte?
Phil: I moved here from Los Angeles in ‘82. But I’ve lived in Colorado and New York since then before moving back to Charlotte.
Laura: 11 years
In what creative media do you work? What skills do you use?
Phil: Film and video production, directing, working as a director of cinematography. My skills also include scriptwriting, video editing, sound design, client schmoozing, cheese-eating and wine-drinking.
Laura: I work in … advertising, brand films, brand identity, integrated campaigns, branded content, commercials (broadcast and streaming), packaging, photography, social media content, illustrations, logos and websites.
Lightning Round
Do you do creative work together? If so, what do you make? What’s the first project you remember working on together?
Phil: We work together from time to time on digital and broadcast commercial spots. Our first spot we worked together on was creating digital content for Bojangles. Since then, we’ve worked on a number of digital and broadcast commercials over the last five years with our most recent work being a couple of TV spots [Phil] directed and shot for Outer Banks Tourism. Laura wrote and art directed them beautifully. (See an example of the final product here and here.)
I think we both have a very healthy respect for one another — creatively and professionally. We are very intentional about leaving space for each other to operate as individuals on separate creative paths. I would say we collaborate well because of that mutual respect. Laura is a creative genius. As her husband and occasional co-creator, I never take that for granted.
What’s one thing you love about Charlotte’s creative community?
It has been under-appreciated and under the radar for a number of years. Organizations like Charlotte Is Creative are beginning to shed light on the amazing talent that has been quietly thriving in this city for years. As Charlotte grows and leans away from being known only as a banking hub, I think our creative scene will continue to spread out and push forward above the corporate shadow that’s dominated the region for so long.
How are you going to celebrate Valentine’s Day during COVID?
We try to have at least one date night a week so Valentine’s Day will probably fall on that night this year. We will most likely order sushi to-go from Soul Gastrolounge and listen to ‘80s music while crushing a bottle of wine outside by the fire.
Where can we find out more about your work?
How can people tip you online?
Phil: Venmo: @philbeebe
Laura: Venmo: @laura-knight-7
Photo Credit: Rivkah Fancher
Creative Couple #7: Ruth Ava Lyons & Paul Sires
How long have you lived in Charlotte?
Ruth Ava: 38 years
Paul: 38 years (of blood sweat and tears)
In what creative media do you work? What skills do you use?
Ruth Ava: I am principally a painter and I work on several surfaces. I also do a body of work using underwater photography. My public art projects include vitreous and smalti mosaic work, murals, digitally printed media, carved brick, laser-cut metal and wire assemblages. My hoop/fire dancing is my performance art.
Paul: Large-scale hand stone carving.
Lightning Round
Do you do creative work together? If so, what do you make? What’s the first project you remember working on together?
Yes, we have done several public art projects. The most recent is the 36th Street Noda light rail station. Other creative enterprises include birthing NoDa, X Foundation Studios, Craggy — the tiny town on the tracks — and two children. Currently, we are working on “Starlight on 22nd Street,” which we are planning to be NoDa’s premier artist-owned edgy bar/performance and visual art/place to chill and follow your star.
Our first project together was a memorial installation for the Kent State May 4 massacre – on the commons where four students were killed during a protest rally.
What’s one thing you love about Charlotte’s creative community?
Some of them make very good chocolate. [EDITOR’S NOTE: Inside joke alert!]
How are you going to celebrate Valentine’s Day during COVID?
We are going to escape.
Where can we find out more about your work?
Paul: WEB
How can people tip you online?
Ruth Ava: Donate to the Salvation Army Center of Hope
Paul: Donate to any homeless shelter