February is all about love. And, to celebrate their affection for Charlotte, six local artists painted giant, love-themed postcards along the light rail line at 7th Street Station. Most works are 8-feet wide on display outside 7th Street Public Market through March 15.

Entitled, “Love, Charlotte,” the exhibition features new work from local artists – Amber Thompson, Eulises Orellana, Garrison Gist, KiiK Create, Sana Nisar and Tim Parati. The art styles on display range from traditional pop art to large-scale use of henna. 

TITLE: “Love Note to Charlotte; Portal of Love”
ARTISTS: KiiK Create (Manoela Madera and Gray Edgerton)

Maneola Madera and Gray Edgerton are the duo behind KiiK Create. Together, they create large-scale, immersive art experiences using vivid pops of color and bold abstract patterns. Their mission is simple: “To inspire everyone to BE VIBRANT!”
These artists moved to the Charlotte area from Brooklyn in 2020.

More About KiiK Create
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TITLE: “From Charlotte with Love”
ARTIST: Garrison Gist

Garrison Gist is a former University of South Carolina Student-Athlete/Artist now working in the Charlotte area. He is the artist behind the “K” in the Black Lives Matter mural painted on the 200 block of S. Tryon St. in uptown Charlotte in 2020 and the “H” in the “We Are Hip Hop” mural at Camp North End.

More About Garrison Gist
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TITLE: “Family Tree”
ARTIST: Tim Parati

Tim Parati is a Charlotte-based actor. He has appeared in more the 50 feature films and television programs. Parati is also an artist who has served as a resident scenic artist at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte for more than 20 years, as well as assisting Opera Carolina and Charlotte Ballet.

More About Tim Parati
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TITLE: “From Charlotte with Love”
ARTIST: Eulises Orellana

Eulises Orellana, a.k.a. “Euli,” is a mural painter, merchandise designer and digital artist. He has experience with and a passion for tech, gaming and esports.

More About Euli
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TITLE: “A Charlotte Love Story”
ARTIST: Sana Nisar

Sana Nisar is a self-taught creative practicing the 5,000-year-old art form of henna. Working in henna for over 10 years, Nisar moved to Charlotte from Columbus, OH in 2019. Today she travels back and forth to Ohio for one-on-one henna sessions and weddings.

More About Sana Nisar
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TITLE: “Charlotte Has My Heart”
ARTIST: Amber Thompson

Born and raised in the Charlotte area, Amber Thompson is a designer, illustrator and hand-letterer. Her grandmother was a self-taught artist. Her grandfather was a retired sign painter from Coca-Cola.  When her grandfather passed away in 2017, Thompson took up his brush and restores hand-painted Coca-Cola signs in the Carolinas, in addition to designing and painting new murals.

More About Amber Thompson
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Photo Gallery

Explore closer details of the postcards through the lens of Ernesto Moreno.

Project Details

The work is installed outside 7th Street Public Market at 224 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28202. The six postcards are on display now through March 15, 2021.

This project is a collaboration between Charlotte Center City Partners and Charlotte Is Creative.