HUG LIFE: Four Creatives Get HUGged in May

By Melissa Dorsch & Tim Miner

To help nudge new artist ideas and events forward, Charlotte Is Creative, publishers of The Biscuit, give local creatives $250 and $1,000 HUG (Helpful Unfettered Gift) micro-grants. Financial support for the HUG program comes from the LendingTree Foundation, Google Fiber and NoDa Brewing.

This month, Blumenthal Performing Arts and WBTV’s Kristen Miranda contributed resources to the HUG program. Below are four creatives awarded with a HUG in May 2020:

James Carlevatti – The Little Studio
IG: @thelittlestudioclt
WEB: thelittlestudioclt.com

 

James Carlevatti was one of the earlier HUG grantees. He received $250 in 2018 to purchase more pottery wheels to create more products and teach more hands-on classes at The Little Studio, which he founded.

Four years later, Carlevatti got a Bear HUG grant of $1,000 powered by The LendingTree Foundation to expand again – building a Raku kiln and offering Raku firing workshops, classes and other experiences, further tying him to the Queen City creative community.

“I came (in 2015) for the weather, but stayed for the clay,” said Carlevatti. “My drive to fully pursue my creative career is what drove me to sell my pottery around Charlotte, teach at several studios before starting my own.

Carlevatti says that, while The Little Studio teaches its students the art of ceramics, it’s also become a vital place for collaboration and mental health. 

“During the pandemic especially, our studio has acted as a place of decompression. Working with clay is inherently messy, and that means you’re not on your phone, you are tuned in, and often people find that that focus gives them meditative relief.”  

Three creatives were recognized with $250 HUGs:

Darryl Johnson
IG: @cltjuneteenth
WEB: juneteenthclt.info

Darryl Johnson is using his HUG grant to help fund a Juneteenth celebration he’s producing June 17-19 at 619 Anderson St. The three-day community arts and educational festival will feature music, youth activities, art and fashion.

Renee Ratcliffe – Cakeable CLT
IG: @cakeable_charlotte
WEB: cakeableshop.org

Cakeable Charlotte “equips people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities with specific and transferable job skills to enhance their employability and empower their inclusion.” The organization is using their HUG to rent space to host eight teaching sessions on candle making for products they’ll sell at a farmers market this summer.

The third $250 HUG grantee for May was local photographer Dionna Bright. And, today, she is the subject of our full creative profile.

CREATIVE PROFILE: Dionna Bright
IG: @dionna_bright
WEB: dionnabrightphotography.com

Photographer Dionna Bright has lived in Charlotte nine years. Through her photography, she seeks to tell creative and authentic stories for her subjects. “Using natural lighting, creative perspectives and beautiful backdrops, I capture love, light and authenticity of you,” she said.

Bright is using her $250 HUG to expand her experience by producing a 2023 calendar. The funds will help her with styling costs for 20 models. This project will enable her to learn more about planning and directing a large photo shoot in collaboration with make-up artists and other fashion creatives.

Tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.

Talent. The creative community in Charlotte is talented, passionate and loves giving back.

What does the Charlotte community need to do to support creatives who live and work here?

Create more inclusive spaces for creatives to connect. Devote more funding towards creative projects in the community.

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?

I find it difficult to find consistent spaces for black and POC creatives to network and meet. I’d love to be connected with a mentor and assist with developing or participating in cultivating more inclusive spaces for creatives.

About that mural …

And, one more thing about Dionna Bright. In April, she was the model for a new mural on the E. MLK Blvd. side of the Charlotte Convention Center. The artists behind the mural are Kalin Renee, Sam Guzzie and Owl, with assistance from Arko and ArtOfEndgame.

Of the experience, Bright said, “The mural is massive, and seeing it in person is always a surreal experience. I, like many others, never imagined seeing myself presented in this way. It’s so beautiful and I’m so blessed, while also feeling very inspired and motivated to continue pursuing my passions and spreading joy.”

Of the experience, Bright said, “The mural is massive, and seeing it in person is always a surreal experience. I, like many others, never imagined seeing myself presented in this way. It’s so beautiful and I’m so blessed, while also feeling very inspired and motivated to continue pursuing my passions and spreading joy.”

Learn more about Dionna and this mural through her recent interview on WBTV’s QC Life.