A community of supporters can fan a small spark into a blaze of creativity.
“My residency at McColl let me connect with people in such a unique way, especially because residents are given a generous amount of time and a consistent environment to develop in together.”
- Lacey McKinney
As a fall 2019 artist-in-residence, Lacey McKinney planted a seed of creativity in Charlotte. She invited art lovers to connect with her and each other by becoming photography subjects for her future projects. Individual portraits from a photo session became a source of her work in representations of women throughout art history and popular culture, considering social implications of race, class, and gender with a display of strength, self-determination, and agency.
In this creative context, McKinney began “Reconfiguration”—a new series of work that involves deconstructing portraits and arranging them in a collage that became the basis of her painting. “Reconfiguration I” implies the subject’s vivid complexity through paper strips and color.
From “Reconfiguration I,” McKinney has grown the series to include over 50 works. Her exhibition at the Everson Museum of Art from 2020-2021, “Reconfiguration,” displays an evolution of works and themes the Syracuse-based artist began at McColl Center. “Recently, landscapes have surfaced in my work, leading me to question dominant philosophies that privilege mind over nature and therefore masculinity over femininity.”
“I learned so much from everyone when I was there - different ways of thinking about art, process, and community. It will continue to shape my practice for a long time!”
- Lacey McKinney
McColl Center fosters the creative environment that shapes the careers of artists and invites art lovers to engage with each investigation of new ideas and moments of creative inspiration. McColl Center Igniters—our plugged-in, tight-knit group of art lovers and artist advocates—experience the creative community with artists through early access to exhibitions, an annual Igniters event, a behind-the-scenes newsletter, and more.
Become part of the artists’ journey and provide the spark for artists like McKinney to thrive. Become an Igniter now!