Seeking Creative Adventure, Wellness & Oneness with Your Mom PHOTO CREDIT: Ariel Perry “She always encouraged creativity and gave me a wide array of fun mediums to play and explore with. Most of my knowledge comes from being around her and teaching myself new skills by experimenting and surrounding myself with a creative community.”
Sydney Duarte has art in her name, creativity in her mind, and positivity in her soul. And, she wants to pass that positivity on to the people of Charlotte. With each of her projects, Sydney aims to inspire and uplift others, especially now that our world has been turned upside down over the past few months. She’s been busier than ever in 2020, creating art and spreading her message, but her creative journey isn’t a new one. For most of her life she’s been creating. Whether it was jewelry, pottery, woodworking, canvas painting, or mural making, Sydney has flexed her creative muscles for nearly 18 years. Where did she inherit her creative mindset? The same place we all get our best traits (if you ask them)… from her momma.
SHOUTing from the Rooftops!
Singer/Songwriter Brit Drozda Makes Something BeautifulIn anticipation of Charlotte SHOUT! later this year, we’re asking Charlotte musicians to film themselves performing songs within earshot of the neighbors. In this edition of “SHOUTing from the Rooftops,” Charlotte singer/songwriter, Brit Drozda, sings her song “Make Something Beautiful” on her front porch. “During this time of quarantine and social distancing, I have discovered how much music and the arts are able to lift spirits. It is truly a gift to be able to share a creative passion with others. Now more than ever, it is important that we continue to perform, create, paint, draw, sculpt, act and write,” says Brit. Watch her front porch performance.
MyLoan & Till Fight Cabin Fever … in Their CabinMyLoan Dinh and Till Schmidt Rimpler are one of Charlotte’s Creative Power Couples. As Charlotte Magazine’s 2020 Voters’ Choice for “Best Local Artist,” MyLoan‘s mixed-media work explores the porous boundary between personal and collective history. Till is the founder and artistic director of Moving Poets — also voted 2020’s “Best Performing Theatre Group.” Together, they have mounted projects in the USA and Germany. On today’s Biscuit Blitz, they chat with Matt Olin about creating content for their new Vimeo channel and practicing for “cabin fever” at the storied Poet’s Cabin that is their home.
Breast Cancer, Beware Her Right HookLeon Parker is a mixed media artist living in Uptown Charlotte. He works in canvas painting, sculpting, media design, woodwork & more. So, it’s safe to say … he’s a busy man. Yesterday, he shared a photo of a new sculpture he’s calling “Love – The Warrior,” depicting a woman with a boxing glove on her right hand and a sword in her left. As he shared on his Instagram post, the work has a very specific message, “F— breast cancer.” “The sculpt has always simply been a vision in my head,” says Leon. “I had no real person nor event to make me want to do this. So, I simply say it was a vision from God to spread awareness via my artistry.” He continues, “The piece is an ethnic breast cancer warrior who fights the battle with boxing glove and sword. She’s surfacing from rough stone-like rock as a smoothing polished figure, yet missing one breast due to the fight of cancer. She has the cancer ribbon around her neck and the face shaped like a heart to symbolize love. She is love, she needs love and she gives love.”
Party Down with Tosco Music & Support Local Musicians
Saturday, May 9 at 8PMLarge gatherings are still a future hope, so John Tosco can’t bring you to the party. He has to bring the party to you. Tosco Music Party is going virtual and will stream via Facebook From Our Living Room to Yours – A Benefit to Support Musicians on May 9. While the party is free, donations are greatly appreciated and accepted through bit.ly/virtualtmp. Funds will go to Charlotte Music Community COVID-19 Relief Fund. It’s hoped that the event will raise $20,000 for area musicians, so, let your friends know that on May 9 at 8pm, you have plans in front of your laptop. Performers include The Hamiltones, The Other Favorites, Griffin House, Bob Malone, Rudy Currence, Noel Freidline & Maria Howell, Barnaby Bright, Vadim Kolpakov, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Courtney Lynn & Quinn, and Brenda Nova. For those who do not use Facebook, you can also catch the party by registering via Crowdcast.
Enjoy a CreativeMorning about Nature … on YouTube
Friday, May 8 at 8:15AMThe May online gathering of CreativeMornings/Charlotte may be “sold out” on ZOOM, but you can still join via livestream on YouTube. The morning will feature live music performances, games, micro-talks from Charlotte creatives and a 10-minute talk from Demi Clark of She Built This City on the global theme of “Nature” shared by all CreativeMornings chapters across the globe. During the portion of the event when ZOOM attendees go into breakout rooms, those watching on YouTube will enjoy live music from Harvey Cummings. CreativeMornings co-host Tim Miner will answer your questions (or ham it up) on the YouTube chat.
At PitchBreakfast, It Pays to Pivot
Wednesday, May 13 at 8:45AMPitchBreakfast is back with another “Pitch Your Pivot” challenge on Wednesday, May 13. On the day of the event, four entrepreneurs and start-ups will duke it out for $5,000, sharing the steps they have taken to ensure that their businesses are staying relevant during the COVID-19 crisis. 8-minute pitches will be followed by feedback from experts. The information shared is sure to apply to companies across the board and to audience members. And, remember what Ross Geller says about the current economic conditions … 
Confused by the CARES Act? Yeah. So are we.
Let’s do something about it.
Many of us know the CARES Act might be helpful to small businesses and nonprofits, but how do you get started? What does it all mean? On Monday, May 11 at 7PM, a certified financial planner, Rob Bacharach of Carter Bacharach Financial Group, will give an update on the CARES Act and answer questions on a free ZOOM seminar produced for readers of The Biscuit. Topics will include: - General Explanation of CARES Act
- Recent Updates
- Specifics for Small Business Owners and Sole Proprietors
- What to do if you did not receive PPP or EIDL
- Quick Financial Strategy Tips
After a 12-15-minute overview, Rob will take questions from those in attendance.
As we all prepare to slowly return to the “real world,” we’re excited by some of the colorful sights we’re already seeing. 
“Live Life as Though Everything Is a Miracle” Our friend Sara Schwittek, AKA @ShySiren, spotted this wonderful message painted on the window of Ruby’s Gift Shop in Noda by artist @FeelsLikeSunshineAndMagic yesterday.
She’s back… and she’s GLORIOUS! The Park Road Shopping Center sign has been getting some TLC since November of last year so, it was definitely a sight for sore eyes after a short rain on Tuesday night. Only one side of the sign has been put back in place today, but custom signage company, Modulex Carolinas, says the sign will soon be complete and a video of the restoration process will be available in the next few weeks.
Three Cocktail Recipes in Just One Instructional VideoThe weekend is almost upon us. Sounds like it’s time to triple your pleasure. In this video episode of the “Twist and SHOUT!” series, Charlotte mixologist, Matt Alvis of Idlewild shows us how to heat up our spring with 1 spicy cocktail that can be three different cocktails just by changing the base liquor – Gordon’s Breakfast, El Guapo and a Square Meal. Watch here. You can also catch more “Twist and SHOUT!” cocktail videos on the weekly broadcast of CLT After Dark, Thursdays at 10pm.
Is it just us … or does it looks like she knows something we don’t? Here’s something we DO know — tomorrow is Friday and that is cause for celebration and the last day of the initial round of stay-at-home orders. And what’s a celebration without a few drinks? Swing by Brawley’s Beverage near Park Road Shopping Center and pick up a six-pack of your favorite craft beer or a bottle of wine to help you unwind this weekend. (Considering Monday felt like Friday, we are deeming this an essential excursion.) Brawley’s has kept the Queen City stocked with unique brewskies since 2003 and we hope they keep us sudsed up for many years to come! The mural that graces the outside was painted by Scott Nurkin of The Mural Shop. Check out more of his marvelous murals here. This Queen City exploration is powered by OrthoCarolina. Directions: 4620 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC 28209 Explore other “Where Are We in CLT?” destinations here.
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