Meet 11 Dynamic Creative Entrepreneurs

Creatives in Charlotte are not only essential to our quality of life and our reputation, they are vital members of our local economy. As we’ve said many times in The Biscuit, each individual creative is a small business. But, to thrive in a business town, both part-time and full-time creatives need business knowledge to help them chart the path forward.

INVESTING IN YOUR CREATIVE FUTURE

With funds from Wells Fargo, Charlotte Is Creative (publishers of The Biscuit) launched the Creative Entrepreneurs Initiative (CEI) in the fall of 2021 with a class of seven emerging creative entrepreneurs. 

Each member of the class receives 10 sessions of project management training, support and promotion created by local subject matter experts, plus additional support and promotion. They are paid a stipend to attend each class – a reminder that investing their time into building their business is important. 

Upon successful completion of the program, each creative will get a $1,500 grant to be used to enhance their creative business with equipment purchases, legal fees, infrastructure, a public event, marketing and more.

APPLY TO BE IN THE 2023 CEI COHORT

The current class features 11 members, ranging from literature experts to photographers, makers and visual artists. Get to know them. Hire them. Or, join them. Applications are open now for the next CEI cohort, which will meet from January through March 2023. The deadline to apply is Sunday, Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. READ MORE AND APPLY.

MEET THE 2022 CEI COHORT

Abel Jackson
Full-Time Visual Artist
Available for Hire
IG: @artbyabel
WEB: abelartworks.com
ONLINE TIPPING: CashApp: $aArtByAbel

In 2002, Charlotte artist Abel Jackson started airbrushing with the motto: “Paint anything on anything.” Twenty years later, he’s still at it, but with an expanded focus. “Art brings many contributions to society,” said Jackson. “One of the main effects of art is bringing people together.”

Jackson specializes in murals, especially those designed to illuminate Charlotte history and the beauty of the people whose memories are in danger of being lost to time. A short drive up the Gold Line on Beatties Ford Road features a number of Jackson’s pieces, giving vision and voice to individuals and community buildings and spaces important to Black and Brown communities in the Queen City. 

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?
I want people to be inspired by my work. And, I want people to see that they can do it, too.

Tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.
There are many great artists of various disciplines in the Charlotte creative community. We encourage, support and uplift each other.

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?
My biggest challenges come from within.

Photo by Dionna Bright.

Arko
Visual Artist and Curator
Available for Hire
IG: @arko.clt
TIKTOK: @arko.clt
ONLINE TIPPING: CashApp: $ArkoCLT | Venmo: @ArkoCLT

“Art saved my life. Arko came to be when I quit drinking and began putting that energy into painting.”

The Charlotte artist known as Arko has built a strong presence in Charlotte over the last several years, in part by collaborating with a wide array of other creatives. Sometimes he supports them. Other times they support him. Each time, he learns. 

And, he passes that knowledge along to the creative community. As he said, “I create and execute large- and small-scale interior and exterior murals, paintings and sculptures. I curate, manage and direct projects as well as offer material and tech assistance to projects.”

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?
I want people to feel good – to smile, to pause and experience the joy of finding something different.

Please tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.
While cliquey, the diverse artistic community has started to collaborate more with each other. And, those circles have started to overlap and evolve.

What does Charlotte need to do to support creatives who live and work here?
Funding and workable space needs to be made available. 

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?
Finding fiscal support for experimental and new projects. That withholding keeps new and different concepts and exhibits from being born in Charlotte.

Who are some Charlotte creatives you like to work with? 

Photo by Dionna Bright.

Bunny Campbell-Gregory
Visual Artist and Creative Community Engagement Organizer
Available for Hire
IG: @ug_battleofthearts
ONLINE TIPPING: CashApp: $UGmobileart | Venmo: @UGMobileArt

Bunny Campbell-Gregory knows Charlotte. Flat out. 

While she embraced life as an artist and community engager later than some, Campbell-Gregory brings a unique blend of youthful energy and the wisdom of experience to everything she creates. And she creates a lot – murals, portraits, upholstery, upcycling, costumes, props and event decor.

As you drive around Charlotte, keep a sharp eye open for her UNDERGROUND Mobile Art Studio, a converted “skoolie” (school bus) she built to provide free community youth engagement. You can also hire Campbell-Gregory  and her bus for private art events.

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?
All the feelings! Mad, happy, embarrassed, empowered, uncomfortable, etc. All the feelings! 

Tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.
Overall, I think Charlotte has an incredible art community. As a native of 57 years, I’ve seen a drastic change, especially for Black and Brown artists.

What does Charlotte need to do to support creatives who live and work here?
Really start treating art as a real career! I can’t even apply for government assistance because art is apparently not a “real job.”

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?
Frequent and steady work and pay.

Who are some Charlotte creatives you like to work with? 

Darrell Anderson
Graphic Design and Fashion Design
Available for Hire
IG: @saintmarkvintage
TIKTOK: @stmarkvintage
WEB: stmarkvintage.com
ONLINE TIPPING: CashApp: $TheAlleyKatWay | Venmo: @StreetKatDaka

Darrell Anderson is an active member of Charlotte’s burgeoning fashion design scene. He specializes in thrifted and upcycled fashion and vintage couture. He started his own brand, St. Mark Vintage Clothing in 2020 to explore his love of clothing and fashion and share it with others. He’s a fixture at Charlotte pop-up fashion shows, where he loves to dish out fashion advice, as well as share his unique creations. 

And, if you’re a hopeless fashion victim, Anderson has your back, offering personal shopping, custom clothing design, styling and creative direction to help you develop your look.

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?
Beautiful, courageous, sexy, happy, excited – every positive emotion you can imagine!

Tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.
This community is vibrant and talented as hell! You’re truly missing out if you’re not tapped into what Charlotte is doing on the ground level now.

What does Charlotte need to do to support creatives who live and work here?
Do not patronize us. Support us with funding, resources and space to create.

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?
Accessing the necessary tools to run the actual business side of my endeavors effectively (funding, classes, etc.)

Who are some Charlotte creatives you like to work with?

Dionna Bright
Full-Time Photographer & Visual Artist
Available for Hire
IG: @dionna_bright
TIKTOK: @di_alchemist
WEB: dionnabrightphotography.com
ONLINE TIPPING: PayPal: @dionnabright | CashApp: $DiBright | Venmo: @Dionna-Bright

You may not know it, but you’ve encountered Dionna Bright this year. You may have bumped into her at a creative event. (It seems like she attends them all.) You have probably seen her work on social media. Or, you may have driven past the Charlotte Convention Center and seen a giant mural of her face. 

“My photographs are vibrant, light-filled, nature-esque and authentic,” she said. “Connecting with people and allowing them the safety to feel themselves while capturing their essence is at the core of what I do.”

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?
I want people to feel seen.

Please tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.
Talented and supportive and passionate. Everyone takes care of one another.

What does Charlotte need to do to support creatives who live and work here?
Create more inclusive spaces for creatives to connect. Prioritize accessibility and improve transportation in the city.

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?
It is challenging to find consistent spaces for Black and POC creatives to network and meet.

Who are some Charlotte creatives you like to work with? 

Hasheem Halim
Part-Time Architect & Maker Space Creator
Available for Hire
IG: @saturnatelier
WEB: saturnatelier.org
ONLINE TIPPING: CashApp: $SaturnAtelier

Hasheem Halim has been creating since he was a kid. “I have been drawing shoes since I was 6 years old,”  he said. “From there I discovered architecture.”

From his work as a professional architect, Halim discovered a passion for helping the community create. Now, he runs and teaches at a local community maker space he established in the Derita neighborhood. The studio offers access to woodworking and sewing tools and 3-D printing equipment along with software for design like AutoCAD and the Adobe Creative Suite. 

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?
I create unique and legible designs to inspire others to create the world around them.

Tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.
There is a great push for creative businesses in Charlotte. We need strong creative networks to push to the next step of cultural importance as a city.

What does Charlotte  need to do to support creatives who live and work here?
Subsidized storefront space in vibrant neighborhoods for start-ups

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?
Time. Striving for my architectural license while wanting to do work in my community takes much time.

Who are some Charlotte creatives you like to work with? What are their Instagram IDs?

Julia Rojas
Full-Time Visual Artist
Available for Hire
IG: @saltandlightcreativecompany
WEB: saltandlightcc.com
ONLINE TIPPING: Venmo – @JuliaValle16 | Paypal – hello@saltandlightcc.com

Julia Rojas indulges in many creative disciplines, but she primarily works as an illustrator/painter and woodworker. She makes custom art and frames, but she is also available for hire for branding, packaging design, stickers, prints, window/sign painting and mural work. 

Rojas started her career as a landscape designer, but the siren call of her own creative business was too alluring. “I needed a creative outlet and to escape from my corporate job, so I just started painting,” she said. She resigned her old job and began life as a full-time entrepreneur in January. 

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?
Happy, joyful, positive, encouraged, uplifted — all the good vibes! Spreading joy is my jam!

Tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.
It’s a blessing! The creative community here is huge and so supportive of each other. There are many  talented and wonderful people in Charlotte!

What does Charlotte need to do to support creatives who live and work here?
More funding for creative projects, especially in schools. It’s important for kids to know that their creative passions can be a viable career.

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?
Connections are everything. Being new here (Rojas moved to Charlotte in 2020), it can be hard to find the right people to team up with for creative projects.

Who are some Charlotte creatives you like to work with? What are their Instagram IDs?

Lauren Morris
Part-Time Used-Bookstore Owner
Available for Hire
IG: @lorrainesbookshelf
WEB: lorrainesbookshelf.shop
ONLINE TIPPING: PayPal: lorrainesbookshelf@gmail.com

Lauren Morris has experience working in libraries and finds book fairs, festivals and book clubs to be the highlight of her curating experience, especially for students and young adults. That work opened a new chapter for her. “When I worked at the library, I discovered my love for creating, curating and hosting book clubs,” she said.

Now, she devotes her spare time to expanding community love and curiosity for Black literature. She’s establishing Lorraine’s Bookshelf, an online used bookstore that encourages Black readership through accessible, sustainable and affordable literature. 

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?
I want people to feel visible, expansive, inspired, challenged and valuable to the community.

Tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.
The creative community in Charlotte is constantly expanding with opportunities for creatives.

What does Charlotte need to do to support creatives who live and work here?
Charlotte needs to create an infrastructure that allows creatives to fully thrive and sustain their careers.

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?
My greatest challenges are connecting with creative organizations and opportunities.

Who are some Charlotte creatives you like to work with? 

Matthew Honeycutt
Full-Time Visual Artist and Creative Community Organizer
Available for Hire
IG: @matthewscotthoneycutt
ONLINE TIPPING: PayPal: mxh720ac@email.cpcc.edu

Matthew Honeycutt is a familiar face in the local creative community, having lived in Charlotte since 1984. After some necessary surgeries, Honeycutt used art as part of the healing process. “I stumbled onto painting as a therapy while struggling to heal from some surgeries,” he said.

Honeycutt is an oil painter, but he’s also an active participant in creative community engagement, helping other artists create their work and public exhibitions. He prefers the process of collaboration. He loves studio visits and traveling around the city to work in other creatives’ studios. 

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?
I want them to think.

Tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.
They help open doors of opportunity for other creatives.

What does Charlotte need to do to support creatives who live and work here?
[Make] more grants [available]  for individuals.

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?
Cost of living and cost of doing business.

Who are some Charlotte creatives you like to work with? What are their Instagram IDs?

Sahar Iman
Full-Time Hair and Makeup Artist
Available for Hire
IG: @s.i.hair
TikTok: @s.i.hairbyinternalappeal
WEB: internalappeal.com
ONLINE TIPPING: CashApp: $InternalAppeal

Sahar Iman is an expert on hair. Full stop. It’s the focus of her career, and it’s her creative medium. “My work consists of natural Afro-textured hair care and design,” she said.

Iman is a full-time hair and makeup artist who specializes in natural Afro-textured hair care and design. She works in salon settings but takes her work out into the world for photo shoots, special events and fashion shows. She also creates original art using hair as a medium. As a 15-year Charlotte resident, she began by recreating styles from magazines on herself and others. That work expanded into a full-time career as an entrepreneur.

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?
I want people to feel pride, beauty and love from my work, especially when looking in the mirror.

Tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.
I like the city; it’s growing. Charlotte’s creative community seems to still be developing.

What does Charlotte need to do to support creatives who live and work here?
Promote and invest. Get the word out. Also invest time (show up), money and resources.

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?
Marketing. Building revenue. Productivity related to administrative tasks. Developing systems to maximize impact and organization.

Who are some Charlotte creatives you like to work with? 


Yash Mistry
Full-Time Videographer and Photographer
Available for Hire
IG: @thatmistrydude
TikTok: @thatmistrydude
WEB: mistryprojects.com

Yash Mistry is a full-time videographer with an innate passion for filmmaking, directing and editing. Mistry started his creative journey as a designer, but quickly fell in love with the lens.

A deeply involved member of the creative community, Mistry is a frequent collaborator. If you see a film or an event you like from another creative, chances are, he helped out in some way. He produces media content for advertising and marketing purposes but is expanding into documentaries and web series. 

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?
I want people to laugh, jump into action, initiate conversations and more when they see my work

Tell us about the overall creative community in Charlotte.
Tremendous potential, full of ideas and ambitions, but slightly disconnected and limited by inaction.

What does Charlotte need to do to support creatives who live and work here?
Facilitate communication and encourage businesses and organizations to invest in the local creative community before looking to outsource projects.

What are the greatest challenges facing your creative career in Charlotte right now?
Inaction, meaning a lot of interest in collaboration but not enough execution. Very slow transition from ideas and leads to active projects.

Who are some Charlotte creatives you like to work with? What are their Instagram IDs?

APPLY TO BE IN THE 2023 CEI COHORT

The current class features 11 members, ranging from literature experts to photographers, makers and visual artists. Get to know them. Hire them. Or, join them. Applications are open now for the next CEI cohort, which will meet from January through March 2023. The deadline to apply is Sunday, Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. READ MORE AND APPLY.

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