Spotlighting alumni and student artwork

Thursday, May 30, 2019

For alumni Sharon Dowell ’02 and Justin Driscoll ’09, their passion for creativity was ignited during their time at UNC Charlotte.

This summer, Dowell and Driscoll will pay it forward by serving as curators for the 2019 Spotlight Art Exhibition, which takes place Friday, June 7, at C3 Lab. The annual art exhibition, hosted by the UNC Charlotte Alumni Association, was created to showcase various forms of artwork from UNC Charlotte alumni and students who—while not necessarily from the College of Arts + Architecture—are talented artists.

The 2019 Spotlight Exhibition will feature work from 22 artists, including alumni and students from the Belk College of Business, the College of Arts + Architecture, the Lee College of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the College of Computer and Informatics.

Attendees can watch alumnus John Hairston Jr. '03 create a masterpiece during a live art performance. And, individuals can display their own artistic skills to create #CharlotteStrong messages at an interactive station during this year’s Spotlight Exhibition.

Dowell said the decision to volunteer as a Spotlight curator was an easy one.

“I studied under several wonderful professors in the College of Arts + Architecture, and several pushed me to new levels in my drawing, painting and conceptual skills,” she said. “I graduated feeling that I had peeled back the tip of the iceberg on what I wanted to say in my artwork, and this theme has stuck with me ever since.”

Today, Dowell’s work focuses on the universe’s hand coupled with the choices individuals make that bring people to the current moment. Her public murals are installed on the Lynx Blue Line and throughout the Queen City. Dowell’s love of public art is inspired by her eagerness to remove the intimidation that many people in society feel when it comes to viewing and purchasing art.

This is another reason she was drawn to curate the Spotlight Exhibition: to find hidden Niner artists.

“Everyone has creativity within,” she said. “Folks who may not have majored in a creative study, specifically in college, are doing some fantastic things, and it is great to open up the show to everyone who is making art.”

As a Belk College of Business graduate, Driscoll is accustomed to others being confused by his unique connection to the art world. But, it was within the intersection of art and marketing that he found his dream career.

“I had a firm grasp on art, composition and colors,” Driscoll said. “But at the time, I had no idea how to write a business plan and successfully market myself as a working photographer.”

This is where the Belk College came to the rescue. When he wasn’t studying business administration and marketing in the Friday Building, Driscoll was taking photos of campus and his fellow students. Since graduating, the Charlotte-based photographer has had his work featured in international magazines and national advertising campaigns. His striking photos have graced the walls of popular art galleries from coast to coast.

Driscoll was elated to participate in last year’s inaugural Spotlight Exhibition.

“It made me so happy to be a part of something Niner-related almost a decade after graduating,” he said. “When I was asked to co-curate the 2019 show, I was completely honored.”

Driscoll had these words of advice for other Niner artists interested in making their mark, “Most everything has been done before. So, you have to put your own spin on it and make it yours. The quality of work coming out of this city inspires and drives me.”

Click here to view the full listing of artists and register to attend the 2019 Spotlight Exhibition on June 7 at C3 Lab, 2525 Distribution St.

Photo of Dowell by Key West Video for the Sheetz Art campaign.