Well, we made it! This is the third and final installment of our series exploring the 15 new street murals the City of Charlotte Placemaking department commissioned 14 artists and artist groups to create across the city to lift our collective community spirits during COVID-19. Today, through the lens of Charlotte photographer, Ernest Moren, we offer you a look at the final five Charlotte artists: Britt Flood, Carla Garrison-Mattos, Dakotah Aiyana, Gina Elizabeth Franco and Leandro Manzo.

Week One

Click here to see Week One’s batch of 5 street murals from Anastasia Netrebine, ArtC Collaborative, Gina Franco, Irisol Gonzalez and PureLove.

Week Two

Click here to see Week Two’s batch of 5 street murals from Abel Jackson, Makayla Binter, Nico Amortegui, Ruth Ava Lyons and Rosalia Torres-Weiner.

Now, there’s only one thing left to do:

GET OUT THERE AND SEE THEM FOR YOURSELVES! They are amazing!

BRITT FLOOD

INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Tip Brit with Venmo: @britt-flood
Location: 222 Wyanoke Ave

A Word from the Artist:

“This piece is all about that endless summer feeling we chase – long days playing outside in the sun or water, sunsets on the porch after dinner and making memories with friends, family and loved ones. Even the names of the colors of the paint are important in this work – ‘Kismet’ purple –  ‘Adventure’ orange –  ‘Golden’ plumeria. I hope this piece makes you play, smile, dance, hold hands and feel like a kid again. May adventure await you. May many golden sunsets fall upon you. And, may your kismet find you. Painted with so much love.”

“I was so excited to be able to paint at Chantilly Park – a picturesque symbol of play. This park is a sanctuary and I am honored to be able to leave my mark here for the Charlotte community to enjoy. The shape of wavy golden background of the mural was inspired by the classic yellow slide at the park, a piece of nostalgia I think we can all relate to!”

CARLA GARRISON-MATTOS

INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Tip Carla with Venmo: @carla-garrison-mattos
Location: 6900 Wallace Lane

A Word from the Artist:

“My mural is an homage to the healthcare heroes who are fighting daily for us on the frontlines of this pandemic. I wanted to portray them as superheroes fighting alongside superhero Queen Charlotte as we battle together to defeat the COVID threat. A close friend of mine, Mary, was my inspiration for the nurse in my mural. She currently works as a nurse in a local COVID unit and hearing her stories and struggles as this battle drags on month after month has impacted me immensely.”

“I hope people will take away from this a profound sense of the strength and dedication our healthcare workers put forth on a daily basis — not for themselves, but for US. We owe it to them to help stop the spread of coronavirus by acting responsibly for THEM and for EACH OTHER. It’s not about politics, it’s about human compassion.”

DAKOTAH AIYANA

INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Tip Dakotah with Venmo: @dakotah-aiyanna
Location: 1301 Thomas Ave

A Word from the Artist: 

“For me, this time socially distancing and being quarantined has really helped me return inward. I’ve been connecting with nature more and becoming more grounded and it gets hard sometimes. But, I know I can do this. I can weather any storm now that I have relearned to become one within myself.”

GINA ELIZABETH FRANCO

INSTAGRAM

Tip Gina with Venmo: @GinaElizabethFranco
Location: 9826 Sandy Rock Place

A Word from the Artist:

“The crayon pattern design was inspired by one of my favorite sayings, ‘Broken Crayons Still Color.’ For me, the idea that broken crayons still color means that no matter the situation you have to keep going and turn a negative situation into a positive one. COVID-19 has undoubtedly created some difficult conditions and it is my hope for all communities that together we can recover and grow from this.”

LEANDRO MANZO

INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Tip Leandro with PayPal.
Location: 12308 Lookout Point Drive

A Word from the Artist:

“These street mural sketches are a variant of the same idea — graphic representation of different animals and fish, which are fast and easy to read, with bright and cheerful colorful backgrounds. Creating a relaxed and playful space that clearly marks the way, inviting people to enjoy the walk outdoors and contact with nature. I chose to represent animals, because their therapeutic power is scientifically proven, which can be made visible in different environments, simply perceiving them can reduce the stress we all live in these times.”

“An image that struck me personally during the COVID-19 outbreak was the canals of Venice, clean and full of fish and animals walking through different cities around the world. I used these images as a fundamental idea for street murals. The fact that at this moment we have to be responsible and maintain social distance to avoid contagion, is a good time to reflect, be more aware of respect for others and deepen good values.”

Photo Gallery

Take a closer look at the works above.

Photography from Ernest Moren.