As we take inventory of our resources as creatives and cultural producers, Stephanie J. Woods reminds us to count community and collaboration among them.
On the journey from aspiring creative to career artist, many up-and-coming artists come to know the cycle of chasing one residency after another as a means to secure stable income and housing.
For Woods, this rhythm became a reality, moving the artist from a space of survival to one of boundless possibility—granting her access to the unimaginable, building new worlds by tapping into the inventive functions of childhood memory, placemaking, and creative partnership.
As a multidisciplinary artist, Stephanie J. Woods transcribes her intersectional identity as a Black, Southern woman through visual explorations in videography, photography, textiles, and multimedia installations. Her work invites deep engagement with themes such as Black girlhood, history, and political disenchantment.
A Charlotte native, Woods grew up visiting many of the area’s art institutions that now celebrate her work. After earning both her BFA and MFA from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Woods eventually traveled north to Richmond, Virginia, where she served as faculty at VCUarts. Without a dedicated workspace, she transformed her bedroom into a studio. However, the blurred boundaries between home and work life ultimately drove her to seek alternative solutions for creation.
McColl Center became the first of several solutions to her need for creative space, offering Woods a residency in 2018. After nearly ten years away from her hometown, her return to Charlotte marked an era of experimentation that not only addressed her spatial needs but also opened new networking opportunities. “I would say my residency at McColl Center was really pivotal for my career,” the artist shared. “Although I am originally from Charlotte, NC, I left Charlotte after high school to attend college, so returning to the city after many years…gave me a chance to reconnect with the local arts community, which has grown and evolved in exciting ways.” It was this reintroduction that connected Woods with a director from The Harvey B. Gantt Center during a studio visit that would future cast her eventual solo exhibition, where the sun shines (2022). This exhibition was especially meaningful for Woods, as it fulfilled a prophecy her aunt had shared years earlier, suggesting that one day her work should be shown in the Gantt—a full-circle moment that affirmed her artistic trajectory. The exhibition provided Woods the opportunity to explore play and revisit memories of Black girlhood, such as barrettes and beaded hair. It also served as a platform for Woods to mentor the next generation of artists through a one-week performance art activation called Camp Shine, where she and other volunteers coached young Black girls aged 12-15.
The stamp of Woods' Southern upbringing is also evident throughout her work, most recently in projects like my papa used to play checkers (2023), an immersive exhibition featuring an installation titled we makin’ gumbo? (2023). This piece, consisting of 196 porcelain slip-cast okras, braided synthetic hair, and beads, draws influence from Woods’ roots in Black, Southern kitchens and her time as a resident at Black Rock Senegal, where okra holds a historical connection to both West Africa and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Throughout these projects and others, Woods deploys a handful of frequent collaborators, bringing together their expertise in sound, performance and other mediums to enhance her artistic vision, and deepen the impact of her work.
Learn more about Stephanie J Wood’s and view her artwork.
