We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kathleen Finch. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kathleen below.

Hi Kathleen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I was working as a nurse during the pandemic & felt a crushing sense of isolation & sadness. In my youth I had been heavily involved in the arts through music, dance, & theater. The art that spoke most clearly to my heart was hip hop music, rap, break dancing, & graffiti art. I was grasping at air during the pandemic. It seemed every turn towards healing landed in field of futility. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon the burgeoning Tough Ass Crew Pop up in NoDa Charlotte that my downward spiral into depression took an abrupt pause. I saw the vibrant graff art being sprayed upon it’s walls even before a single piece of art donned it, & I knew that a resurrection of purpose was in the making.

Kathleen, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In connecting with other artists in the Tough Ass Crew Collective during Art Exhibitions I was inspired. Initially that transpired into a pursuit of personal art aspirations. Upon their deflations the flowering that resulted was through my support of other artist’s pursuits. I decided I was best as a conduit. My talents rested well in the realm of support & inspiration. Simultaneously I was looking for a way to merge my family life & my newfound art pursuits. This culminated in our first festival “Brews & Hues’ at Cavendish Brewing in Gastonia, NC in November of 2021. It was a blissful mesh of music, art, dance, & family. This celebration prompted us to pursue other venues & types of art exhibition. In pursuing an abandoned space or one destined for destruction to have a graff/paste up festival, & inquiring about a venue for a spoken word event we happened upon Charlotte Art League. The enigmatic art engineer Jim Dukes said confidently, “We can do it all, & at our new facility”. Hence CLT Edgefest & the Charlotte Art League Graffitti Art garden was born.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Our Nonprofit’s mission is to assist artists to attain & maintain a sustainable living in the arts. We facilitate this through free to low-cost workshops & events where the artists facilitating & participating get paid for what they do. What resulted from a personal desire for fulfillment in the arts grew into supporting the dreams of other artists in the local community. Today as we embark upon our second year of CLT Egdefest on July 15th my heart is fuller than I could ever have possibly imagined.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Simply the adventure, as every day is nuanced. The dredges of monotony never linger long at my door & I am forever grateful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cltstreetartcollab.com
• Instagram: @cltartsfx.machina
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CLTStreetArtCollab