If you build it, they will come.

Als Ich Chan:

A Tribute to Noda

Als Ich Chan – which translates as “the best I am capable of doing” is a title that plays on Jan Van Eyck’s famous painting The Man in the Red Turban which featured the same quote. The mural itself features 274 members of the Charlotte community and serves as a vibrant time capsule capturing the renaissance of the NoDa Arts District. Inspired by Diego Rivera’s Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park, the composition weaves together past and present, showcasing the artists, musicians, business owners, and residents who have shaped NoDa into a cultural landmark.

Like Rivera’s masterpiece, this mural presents a dreamlike panorama where figures from different eras and walks of life converge in a single moment. From the pioneering street artists and gallery owners of the early arts movement to the new wave of creatives revitalizing the district, each person depicted contributes to NoDa’s ongoing story. The swirling, interconnected scene reflects the district’s transformation from a historic mill village to the beating heart of Charlotte’s artistic community.

More than just a work of art, this mural stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, resilience, and creativity—a visual archive of NoDa’s rebirth that will inspire future generations to continue its legacy. A testimony to the power the title of the mural suggests, that we should all strive toward our best and see the best in others.

Beasts of Burden

Neighborhood Theatre Mural

In a striking fusion of Cubist and Modernist aesthetics, the Beast of Burden charges forward—a bull composed of a dynamic assemblage of different animal species, each representing resilience, adaptation, and transformation. As it gallops through a fragmented, ever-shifting landscape, the creature embodies the unstoppable force of capitalism and the perpetual evolution of neighborhoods and communities.

This mural explores the dual nature of progress: the energy and opportunity it brings, alongside the challenges of displacement and reinvention. The interwoven forms of various animals—some thriving, some struggling to hold on—symbolize the diverse individuals and cultures that shape an ever-changing urban environment. Bold geometric shards and overlapping perspectives reflect the fractured, layered history of a place in flux.

The Beast of Burden is not merely a depiction of movement but an invitation to contemplate the forces that drive transformation. It acknowledges the undeniable power of growth and reinvention while challenging viewers to consider their place within the unstoppable tide of progress.

Novant Health

Leadership Murals

This mural was created for the Women Physicians Resource Group at Novant Health. A quote by Elizabeth Blackwell—the first woman admitted to medical school in the United States—threads throughout the composition, symbolizing the strength, care, and solidarity of women in medicine. The figures stand beside and behind one another, learning together and offering support when needed. Their collective presence embodies diversity and the spirit of community and collaboration that defines women working in the medical field.