St. Anthony Hall is hosting a two-hour long Speaker Series event highlighting two artists based in North Carolina at 4 p.m. this Friday. Artists Natasha Powell Walker and Susan Brubaker Knapp will be displaying their art, talking about why they are passionate about their craft, and revealing how they managed to make a living creating art.
Walker is a visual artist based in the Raleigh-Durham area. She will be sharing an exhibit she is working on called “Sexy Not Silent," a collection of work that shows the struggle of women of color and redefines the meaning of the word “sexy.”
“It’s always cool when people that have a common interest want to hear about your story, and then inevitably you will hear about their story and it will continue a creative cycle," Walker said.
Walker said she is excited to motivate young artists, especially women, to continue their passion in art.
Susan Brubaker Knapp is a fiber artist based in Mooresville. She started out as a traditional quilter and transformed into a fiber artist. She is well known for whole-cloth painting, which means she paints on fabric before she stitches in order to achieve the level of realism she loves.
Like many young artists, she was discouraged by her parents to continue in art because they didn’t view it as a sustainable livelihood or viable career.
“I wish that I had the chance to pursue that passion when I was younger," she said.
Knapp said she wants to encourage those interested in art and reassure them that they can make a career out of it.
Nora Knapp, the literary chair of St. Anthony Hall, said she is thrilled to have these two artists visit for the Speaker Series. Nora is the daughter of Susan Brubaker Knapp.
