LaDara McKinnon (Charlotte, NC Based)

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Education 

​2022 Women's Entrepreneurship Certification, Cornell University  

2017 Study Abroad, Burren College of Art, Clare, Ireland 

2017 BA, Fine Art, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC Minors: Women & Gender Studies & Psychology 

2013 Associate Degree (Double), Pitt Community College, Greenville, NC Arts:               

Foundation's Art Classes 

General Education: College Education

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Art Residencies

2026 Artist in Residence (Upcoming),  Château d’Orquevaux International Artists Residency, Orquevaux, France | October 2026

 

Nominations & Awards 

2026 Emerging Creator Fellowship,  Arts & Science Council, Charlotte, NC 
2025 Culture Blocks Grant Recipient,  Arts & Science Council, Charlotte, NC 

2024 Artist Support Grant, ASC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 

2023 Creative Mecklenburg Grant, ASC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 

2022 Artist Support Grant, ASC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 

2021 Bear Grant, Charlotte is Creative, Charlotte, NC 

2020 Hug Micro Grant, Charlotte is Creative, Charlotte, NC 

2019 20 on the Rise Artist, Honeybook Website, Nationwide 

2019 20 on the Rise Artist, Honeybook Website 

2018 Black Girls Who Paint (Community Impact), BGWP Website

2018 Marianne Oberg Scholarship, Clayworks, Charlotte, NC 

2014 Dean’s List, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC

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Publications 

2023 Bank of America Marketplace by Seneca Women: Spotlighting Women Entrepreneurs. 2023.  ShortyAwards.com. December 2024. Website. 

2022 Art Supplies. 2022. UPPERCASE Encyclopedia. June 2022 Edition. 10. 

2021 A Reflection In Words & Material. 2021. QC Exclusive. September 2021 Edition. 79. 

2021 Local Stories. 2021. Shoutout Atlanta Magazine. July 2021. Website.

2020 VoyageATL. 2020. VoyageATL Magazine. November 2020. Website. 

2020 Support Black Voices & Black-Owned Businesses In Charlotte, NC. 2020. QC Exclusive. June 2020. Website. 

2019 Art In Abstraction. 2019. QC Exclusive. December 2019 Edition. 63.

2019 Naturally Modern: Retract. 2019. West Elm. July 2019 Edition.

2019 Minted Artist. 2019. Minted and West West Elm. July 2019. Website 

2018 Ballyvaughan, Bothar Na, Bishop’s Quarter, Pathway To Ballyvaughan.

2018 Sanskrit Literary Literary-Arts Magazine. 2018 Edition. 

2017 Hue + Shade Lounge: Art Show & Market, Boom Charlotte Website

2016 No Color Needed. 2016. Tangents Magazine. October 2016.

2016 Power. 2016. Sanskrit Literary Literary-Arts Magazine. 2016 Edition. 28.

 

Professional Experience 

2026  Program Manager, Lead Artist, & Founder, Unleash Your Creativity Workshops, Charlotte, NC 
Lead a collective of local artists delivering monthly workshops in watercolor, acrylic, creative writing, and mixed media for teens, adults, and seniors. Awarded the Culture Blocks Grant to support community-based arts programming. Manage teaching artists, develop curriculum and workshop structure, and oversee materials, logistics, and the overall participant experience. Foster inclusive, skill-building environments that build creative confidence and support original artwork.
 

2016-2022  Community Impact Ceramics Instructor, Clayworks, Charlotte, NC

 Serving and creating unique items with children, disabled adults, and seniors the foundations in the potter's wheel and handbuilding techniques with clay. 

 

2016-2021 Studio Assistant, Clayworks, Charlotte, NC 

Maintenance of the studio. Loading and firing kilns, glaze materials, and mixing glazes.

 

2015-2020 Lead Fine Arts Instructor, Holts School of Fine Art, Charlotte, NC 

Instructing the foundations in drawing, watercolor, life & figure drawing oil painting with students ages 8-18 years old. Lead and planned summer workshops. Lead my team to instruct classes of 18 students on individual projects

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2015- 2018 Painting Instructor, Wine & Design, Charlotte, NC 

Instructing public painting classes with 4-35 people per class, recreate and create original paintings for the studio, and and plan & teach summer camp lesson plans 

 

2015-2017 Ceramics Instructor, Pottery Cottage, Harrisburg, NC

Instructing children to adults how to uses the potters wheel and hand-build, and plan & teach summer camp lesson plans 

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Professional Events

2026 Live Painter, A Gala for Dignity: Benefitting - THE NO WOMAN, NO GIRL INITIATIVE
, Raleigh Union Station, Raleigh, NC
2025 Live Painter, Pride: Flourish, UNC Charlotte Uptown, Charlotte, NC (Invitational)
2025 Live Painter, Black Business Expo, Spectrum, Charlotte, NC
2024 Live Painter, Teal Diva Gala, Camelot Meadows, Charlotte, NC
2024 Panelist, Review and Select Grantees, Arts & Science Council, Charlotte, NC

2023 Speaker, "Who Am I?" Artist Talk, Freedom Communities Hub, Charlotte, NC

2023 Speaker, 'Trust The Process' Art Talk, The VAPA Center, Charlotte, NC

2023 Live Painter, The Patriot Gala, Founder’s Hall, Charlotte, NC

2023 Highlighted Business, Bank of America Marketplace by Seneca Women: Global Event, Founder’s Hall, Charlotte, NC

2023 Live Painter, 20th RealthReach Clinic Luncheon, Mooresville, NC

2022 Speaker, Working Artist Panel, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah

​2022 Speaker, Strategic Planning Workshop for Artists, Catawba Community College, Hickey, NC

2022 Live Painter, Young Affiliates of The Mint Fall Ball, Mint Museum Uptown, Charlotte, NC

2022 Speaker & Workshop Host, Gratitude Retreat Workshop in Newton, KS

2022 Speaker & Workshop Host, Girls Who Brunch Tour, Charlotte, NC

2021 Live Painter, Charlotte Hornets Heroes Gala, Spectrum Arena, Charlotte, NC

2021 Critic, Guest Artist, Minted.com, National Artists 

2020 Critic, Guest Artist expressive mark-making, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

2020 Juror, Southend Arts April Art Show in Charlotte, NC 

2020 Critic & Guest Artist, Minted.com, North Carolina Artists 

 

Lectures

2026 Summer Painting Instructor, Theme: TBA, Davidson College, Davidson, NC 

 

2025 Summer Painting Instructor, Theme: World of Possibilities, Davidson College, Davidson, NC 

Created a lesson plan for the National Day of Social Action theme focusing on “I can make a difference in the world” was completed in a  three-day workshop with over 50 scholars in support of CDF Freedom Schools.

 

2024 Summer Painting Instructor, Theme: Ban on Books, Davidson College, Davidson, NC 

Created a lesson plan for the National Day of Social Action theme focusing on protecting the freedom to read to complete a two-day workshop with over 50 scholars in support of CDF Freedom Schools.

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2024 Instructor, Arts Entrepreneurship, Triangle ArtWorks, Greensboro, NC

Six week intensive business school-style workshop for artists about business structures to support systems, from credit cards to cash flow, this course will walk you through the process of creating an art business that makes money.

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2023 Instructor, Arts Entrepreneurship, Triangle ArtWorks, Durham, NC

Six week intensive business school-style workshop for artists about business structures to support systems, from credit cards to cash flow, this course will walk you through the process of creating an art business that makes money.

 

2023 Painting Instructor, Peace + Gun Control, Davidson College, Davidson, NC

Created a lesson plan for the National Day of Social Action theme of gun control to complete a one-day workshop with over 50 scholars in support of CDF Freedom Schools.

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2022 Instructor, Color & Pastels, McColl Center for Arts + Innovation, Charlotte, NC

One week workshop on how to use pastels, color theory, and techniques then apply that to different themes for 15 students. A lesson plan was created for this workshop. 

 

2022 Summer Painting Instructor, Abstract + Climate Justice, Davidson College, Davidson, NC 

Created a lesson plan for the National Day of Social Action theme of climate justice to complete a one-day workshop with over 50 scholars in support of CDF Freedom Schools.

 

2022-2020 Artist Contractor, Ceramics Instructor, Clayworks, Charlotte, NC

Create and publish over 50 educational videos on hand building with clay for the YWCA for Clayworks.

 

2019 Summer Painting Professor, Lórien Academy, Charlotte, NC

Eight-week workshop teaching color theory, abstract history, composition, how to use materials, and experimentation with uncommon art mathematics and activities. Also, created an eight-week lesson plan. 

 

2019 Summer Ceramics Instructor, Davidson College, Davidson, NC

Created a lesson plan for the National Day of Social Action theme of identity and equality through clay to complete a one-day workshop with over 50 scholars in support of CDF Freedom Schools.

 

2016 Ceramics Instructor, Pottery Cottage, Harrisburg, NC 

Planned Summer Camp Art Activities and led camp. Instructing the foundations in pottery wheel and hand-building. Kiln loading and glazing pottery.

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Curatorial Projects

​2022 Curator, "Power in Your Presence", Mcdowell Arts Center Gallery, Matthews, NC

Curatored an all women art show with all mediums.

 

Private Collections

2021 Artist Commission, Safe Alliance, Commissioned by Safe Alliance to create custom gifts for staff

2019 Artist Commission, AFP Charlotte, Commissioned by AFP Charlotte to create custom awards for each National Philanthropy Day 2019 winner

 

Installations

2025 Michael Best & Friedrich Office Charlotte Location, Charlotte, NC,  (Art Licensed Through Kalisher)
2024-2025 Link Apartments CYKEL, NoDa Charlotte, NC (Commissioned Six Custom paintings for all six floors in the building, Through Gökotta, Charlotte, NC) (Install March 2025)
2024 Modera Liberty Row, Charlotte, NC,  (Art Licensed Through Kalisher)
2023 #CampCanvas Mural, 201 Camp Wall, Camp North End, Charlotte, NC 
2022 Allspring Global Investments Corporate Headquarters, Charlotte, NC (Collection, Through Indiewalls, New York, NY)
2021 Atrium Heath, Indian Trail, NC (Commissioned Triptych, Through Skyline Art Services, Houston, TX)
2021  Caldwell Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC ( Commission, Provided By Charlotte is Creative Bear Grant)

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Art Licensing

HomeGoods 

West Elm

Minted

Wexel Art

Skyline Art

Kalisher

 

Exhibitions 

2027  TBA, Sanctuary Bistro, Charlotte, NC 

2026  Pride: Flourish, UNC Charlotte Uptown, Charlotte, NC (Invitational)

2025  Pride: Flourish, UNC Charlotte Uptown, Charlotte, NC (Invitational)

2024  Pride: Flourish, Mint Museum Uptown, Charlotte, NC (Invitational)

2024 Free Form, Free Range Brewing, Charlotte, NC (Invitational, Solo Show)

2024 Free For All: Spring 2024, Hart Witzen Gallery , Charlotte, NC

2023 "Who Am I?", Freedom Communities Hub, Charlotte, NC

2023 Pride: Flourish, Wells Fargo Atrium, Charlotte, NC

2023 The Harding Art Show, Harding Academy, Nashville, TN.

2022 Singing in the Dead of Night, Charlotte Art League, Charlotte, NC. (Invitational, Group Show) 

2022 Power in Your Presence, McDowell Arts Center Gallery, Matthews, NC (Curated, Juried)

2022 The Harding Art Show, Harding Academy, Nashville, TN. (Invitational, Group Show) 

2021 Ebullient Collection Show, Matthews Town Hall, Matthews, NC. (Invitational, Solo Show) 

2021 Women in ABSTRACTION, New Art Center, Newton, MA (Juried)

2020 Greenhill's Winter Show, Greenhill Center for NC Art, Greensboro, NC. (Invitational) 

2020 Art With Heart, Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC (Juried) 

2019 ARTS MATTERS, The Artisan Palate, Charlotte, NC (Juried, Group)

2019 National Philanthropy Day, Center City, Charlotte, NC (Solo Show)

2019 Imagine Tomorrow Together!, Southend Arts, Charlotte, NC (Juried)

2019 Fringe, 4th annual BOOM Festival, Boom Charlotte, Charlotte, NC

2019 Art With Heart, Elder Gallery, Charlotte, NC (Auction) 

2019 Annual Gallery Crawl, Dilworth Artisan Station, Charlotte, NC

2019 Studio Artist's Ceramics Show, Clayworks, Charlotte, NC 

2018 Annual Gallery Crawl, Dilworth Artisan Station, Charlotte, NC

2018 Que-OS, 3rd annual BOOM Festival, Boom Charlotte, Charlotte, NC

2018 Art With Heart, Center Stage Noda, Charlotte, NC (Auction)

2018 Studio Artist's Ceramics Show, Clayworks, Charlotte, NC 

2018 Sanskrit Literary- Arts Magazine Show, Student Union Gallery, UNCC, Charlotte, NC 

2017 Cups In Common, Clayworks Gallery, Charlotte, NC 

2017 Arts For Life: Paint Palette, Dilworth Artisan Station, Charlotte, NC

2017 The Hue + Shade Lounge, 2nd annual BOOM Festival, Charlotte, NC 

2017 Apple Pie: An American Art Show, Goodyear Gallery, Charlotte, NC 

2017 UNCONVENTIONAL, EyeDrum Music & Art Gallery, Atlanta, GA 

2017 Love Is The Answer, National Alliance of Mental Illness, Paper Cut Gallery, Charlotte, NC 

2016 POP Up for the Profiled, Projective Eye Gallery UNC Charlotte Center City, Charlotte, NC (Invitational) 

2016 Creating a Cultural Impact: Student Work from UNCC, Performance Suite, The Harvey B. Gantt Center, Charlotte, NC (Invitational) 

2016 Sanskrit Literary- Arts Magazine Show, Student Union Gallery University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 

2016 Black Excellence Art Show, SAC Salons, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC (Juried by Caroline Manning) 

2016 Naked: Body Beautiful, Charlotte Art League, Charlotte, NC 

2016 A is for... a collaborative pictorial vocabulary exploration in alphabetical order, Student Union Gallery, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 

2015 Annual Gallery Crawl, Dilworth Artisan Station, Charlotte, NC 

2013 Metalsmith 1 Student Exhibition, Goess Gallery, Pitt Community College, Greenville, NC