2024 Fellows

Social Media: @ajsjunior

Aguinaldo Santos, a Brazilian artist from Cabo de Santo Agostinho, finds his passion in photography, art and architecture. His vibrant, bold compositions reflect a fusion of techniques aimed at evoking emotions and stimulating the senses. With projects spanning North Carolina, New York City and Miami, including showcases at Blumenthal Arts, Charlotte Shout, and Times Square, Santos fosters connections with fellow artists, photographers, and architects, aiming to inspire and leave a lasting impact.

An interactive solar charging hub. Integrated solar panels capture sunlight, storing energy, which powers the sculptures embedded lighting and provides charging stations for visitors’ mobile devices.

Social Media: @catbmakes

Cat Babbie is an abstract fiber artist. She has been making art as soon as she could hold a crayon and cut up her mom’s gardening catalogs to make collages. Her practice is ingrained in various textiles techniques ranging from machine tufting and weaving to wool and paper sculpture. Dyeing her materials for these pieces is as important as mixing colors is to a painter and expands the potential depth of her colors exponentially.

A free-standing, cocoon-like sculpture that curves and curls around itself and the viewer. Patrons are encouraged to walk through and around the entirety of the piece.

Social Media: @elizamakescoolart

Eliza is an artist living and working in Charlotte, NC. Although born and raised in South Carolina, she lived in China and New York before returning to the Carolinas in 2019. Though painting and drawing are her primary mediums, she has built and exhibited several sculptural installations during her career.

An interactive installation that visitors can rotate to make a moving illusion. (3) 7-foot tall posts patterned with notes of the history, commerce, and culture of Charlotte.

Social Media: @emilynunezart

Emily Nuñez, a versatile artist born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Dominican Republic, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Appalachian State University. Notable collaborations include dialogues on colorism in partnership with the Levine Museum and Studio 345 (2018), participation in The Levine MLK Day (2021), and involvement in Project Protégé (2022). Additionally, Emily served as the project artist for I Am Queen Charlotte (2022). Her impactful public works adorn various locations, including murals at Packard Place for Blumenthal Performing Arts, Queen’s University in conjunction with the Mint Museum Playing Picasso Project, and the McColl Center in uptown Charlotte for Shout 2023. Drawing from her Dominican heritage, Emily’s art serves as a conduit for cultural connection with people from diverse. Background. Presently, she continues to pursue her artistic vision at the McColl Center in Uptown Charlotte.

An open concept greenhouse, designed to emulate the aesthetics of stained glass. Inside will feature crafted flowers made from recycled materials, thought-provoking questions, and portraits.

Social Media: @heatherkostellart

Heather Kostell, a native New Yorker living in Charlotte, NC, is a multimedia visual artist specializing in hand-drawn illustrations, acrylic paintings, and unique hand-crafted collectibles. Her work is inspired by her imagination, childhood memories, school experiences, and 80’s nostalgia. Heather is a big kid at heart. Through her colorful body of work, she strives to help others see the value in play and keep their sense of curiosity alive. Heather has a background in Elementary Education, working in both Montessori and public-school settings, and has been an established artist for over 7 years. She has been commissioned for several projects through Charlotte is Creative, created a mural at Camp North End, and has had her work in Charlotte SHOUT, Charlotte International Arts Fest’s “100 Tiny Things”, Goodyear Arts and the VAPA Center.

Planet Pretend fosters a sense of play by inviting visitors to experience an imaginary world using ordinary objects.

Social Media: @paloaltopaints

Kourtney Paloalto is from Seattle, Washington. She primarily works with acrylic paints but enjoys mixing different mediums into pieces as well. She was a featured artist in CIAF’s 2023 “100 Tiny Things” project, and Charlotte SHOUT! 2024. A big part of her pieces have to do with celebrating her heritage and showing the world who she is through her art – this includes a lot of color and playful concepts because that’s who she is and show she sees the world.

A walkway that features large papel picado—cutouts made with tinted vinyl.

Social Media: @sxtnimpressions

Laura Sexton is a Spanish teacher and self-taught artist who creates with acrylic paints, paper, and upcycled materials to carve out small spaces of order when life is hectic. She uses paper from her classroom and plastic shopping bags to portray issues facing public education and the environment.

A crocheted 6-foot teddy bear using plarn (plastic bags as yarn). This project will be filled with plastic bags on the inside and crocheted with them on the outside.

Social Media: @lori_schember

Lori Schember is an adventure-seeking painter, metal sculptor and photographer, currently living in Charlotte, NC with her husband and son. Nature is her biggest inspiration for paintings and sculptures. She loves to use her camera as a creative guide for paintings when hiking through canyons or cruising on her paddleboard. Lori primarily paints on canvas, but also experiments with a variety of mediums like metal, wood, foam and clay. Traditionally taught as a Fine Art painter at Edinboro University, Lori has also found a love for metal sculpture.

A large sculpture carved out of EPS foam—an interactive piece allowing patrons to play, sit, and crawl through it.

Social Media: @worm.embrace
Social Media: @0_0wrudolph

Will Rudolph is a lifetime craftsman and occasional artist. He has been fascinated by the physical world and its working since a young age and has sought to craft, create, make, design and generate works that responds to a perceived lack of agency we have in a consumer world to curate and imbue with intention and love the objects that support and surround us. Paige explores social interaction and engagement in her art, inspired by community and interconnectedness of the natural world.

A hangout spot that is beautifully designed to be in direct opposition to “hostile architecture.” This piece creates a communal space to encourage engagement amongst festival patrons and illustrates the interconnectedness of our Charlotte community.