CHARITY
(OR THE ARTIST WHO WANTED A SEAT AT THE TABLE)

Charity (or the Artist Who Wanted a Seat at the Table)
Mixed Media on Wood | 12.5’’ x 13.125’’ x 27.25’’ | 2025

ARTIST STATEMENT - Charity is a tribute to the artists we don’t always hear—the quiet ones, the ones the world rushes past without ever really seeing.

The piece is intentionally unfinished—not due to a lack of skill or ambition, but to reflect an artist who ran out of resources, support, or the creative energy needed to continue. It's a visual echo of the many artistic journeys cut short not by choice, but by circumstance.

This kind of struggle is especially common in smaller towns and rural communities, where art is often expected to be decorative, pleasant, or easy to understand—viewed more as craft than conversation. While there’s real value in that kind of work, and it absolutely deserves public support, an exclusive focus on beauty can sideline artists who take creative risks, challenge norms, and use their work to spark dialogue and reflection.

And while organizations and schools—including those like WAC—work hard to support these voices, their efforts are increasingly limited. As funding dries up and institutional backing declines, it becomes harder to sustain meaningful programs. Meanwhile, decision-makers in higher positions continue to question whether the arts are worth the investment—forgetting the critical role they play in building empathy, identity, and resilience in our communities.

In the end, Charity is both a tribute and a warning. If we don’t make room for these small but essential voices—if we don’t support the artists who create from the margins—we risk losing them entirely. Not because they stopped caring, but because no one listened when it mattered most.

Charity participated in Seat at the Table, an exhibition and fundraiser auction presented by the Watauga Arts Council (WAC) during the late summer / early fall of 2025. This community-driven project invites artists to transform ordinary chairs into powerful works of art, using them as a canvas for creative expression. Seat at the Table serves as an advocacy initiative, emphasizing the vital role of the arts in our schools, public spaces, community planning, events, and everyday lives. The project aligns closely with WAC’s mission to make the arts accessible to all. By reimagining a familiar object, artists demonstrate that creativity has a place everywhere—even in the most unexpected spaces.