NICK BURNS

Story by MELODY CUENCA | Photo by WILL CROOKS

For Greenville native Nick Burns, creating art is an act of bravery. He teaches this creative bravery to his son and his students at Let's Dance Studio in Mauldin, where he’s taught for 12 years.

“I try to show that … just to get a whole different lookin terms of what makes a black man strong,” Burns says.

Brute or aggression does not show masculinity,he says. “Sometimes, it’s just in being brave enoughto take a brush and just stroke. That's where it's morepower for me.”

Calling himself a makeshift artist, Burns uses materialsaround him to create vibrant art. “Sometimes it's with acan, sometimes it’s with a pencil, but I’d say it’s morefreedom abstract,” he says.

Whether it be caricatures, graffiti, graphic design,murals, or choreography, Burns says he wants his talentto point away from him. His artist tag, Ninja Picasso,plays off that humility.

“I like to create works silently to let it speak foritself,” he says. “I honestly just want [my viewers] to seewhatever gifts that I bring or show that it’s not from meand it’s all God-given."

Burns offers a program called Streetlightx CreativeArts to kids who can’t afford dance classes. There, heteaches hip-hop dance as well as graffiti. “I try to usemy gifts to serve the community, which is why I'm here."

Black History Month gives Burns an opportunityto highlight others. "I can make a mark, and it berelevant,” he says. "I really feel like beyond skin color,beyond limitations, you can inspire, you can make animpact, and you can reach out to people.”

In the Greenville art scene, Burns feels a lack ofacceptance toward new artists. “I would love to see usjust relax a little bit and give other artists a chance toshow their light to inspire more people,” he says.

Burns’ work can be seen on Instagram@theninjapicasso.