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We are thrilled to present to you our annual travel issue — one of our favorite issues of the year! We have put a lot of thought and effort into this one, and we hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.

This year, several stories in our travel section are dedicated to the Blue Ridge Mountains, a truly stunning region of the Carolinas that we believe everyone should experience at least once. We have also included some other standouts, such as Pinecone Pathways — an initiative to get people out on the trail to enjoy nature and honor the NC Year of the Trail, as well as a trip to Wilmington, NC to explore the many offerings of this lovely coastal town. We also visited Hendersonville, NC for one of our most memorable trips in a long time.

But our travel section is just the beginning. Our arts and culture section features work from the talented Renee Cloud, as well as a Picasso exhibit at the Mint and much more. We also showcase some amazing home and design spaces from Swell Decor, Tori Grace, Sara Brennan and more. We also meet the team and see the work of Tideline Pools.

And let's not forget about our food section! We take you to Bar à Vins, where you can indulge in some of the best wine and cheese pairings around. We also taste the menu at El Toro Bruto, sample some delicious matzo ball soup at Yafo, savor some El Puro paella, and enjoy cocktails from Figo36 and PARA.

We truly believe that this issue has something for everyone, and we hope it inspires you to get out and explore all that our area has to offer. Happy travels!

Sincerely,

Jon-Paul Grice, Art Director Brett Barter, Publisher

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PUBLISHER

Brett Barter

ART DIRECTOR

Jon-Paul Grice

EDITOR

Sunny Hubler

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Kathryn Keller

EDITORIAL

Liza Carrasquillo

Eleanor Merrell

PHOTOGRAPHY

Jamey Price

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Samantha Husted

Joseph Schuberth

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At The Intersection Of Art And Language

Mixed media artist Renee Cloud on the importance of art and the written word.

Cloud’s concept-centric art is guided by the intrinsic power of the written word, her own lived experiences, and the Black perspective. Language, and our innate consumption of it, is also an integral part of her work. She’s often inspired by internet comments, overheard conversations, TV advertisements, and by the people who call into radio shows. Currently the phrases “Take Care” and “Do Better” cycle through her mind on repeat.

We spoke with Cloud about her artistic process, the media she prefers, and how her art has evolved over the years.

Where did your interest in art originally come from?

It's hard to pinpoint, but I think my love for art came from visual puzzles from childhood. I was fascinated by how pictures turn into sentences when I described them to my mother. The image to language translation is the core of my artistic curiosity.

What kind of art do you personally enjoy?

I personally enjoy concept-centric art. Some of my favorite artists are Glenn Ligon, John Baldessari, Joseph Kosuth, and Lorna Simpson.

Your work is described as being heavily influenced by the power of words. In your own meaning, what is the purpose of mixing language with visual art?

Reading is a visual practice and I'm interested in exploring the connection between mark making and communication.

What personal experiences have had the most impact on the way you create art?

I entered my artistic practice through photography, documenting myself and friends while in conversation, catching the small moments when you could see words forming and falling from their mouth. I moved away from working with the image after I noticed critiques were more interested in the impact of the black perspective rather than the work presented. My relationship to language as art was born out of rebellion: You can't ignore the message of the work if the work is the message. Since then, I've been toying with the greater idea of what it says versus how it says it.

What kind of medium do you use to create your art? Digital or tangible (paint, pencil, etc)?

I use it all! Sometimes I will build pieces digitally first and work with vinyl stencils to recreate and incorporate digital text with my own handwriting. My favorite tools are chunky graphite sticks, Sakura Solid Markers, and gel pens.

What do you see being the next step for you as an artist?

I'm extremely happy with where I am in my creative community. My steps moving forward are to find ways to continue to connect and reflect the world around me and understand my work and myself better through the lens of their understanding.

Do you work with, or is your art found at any Charlotte galleries or collectives?

I am the gallery manager for Goodyear Arts as well as an alumni of their residency program. You can find small samples of my work around the building.