2025 Highlighted Artists

Melvin D. Nix is an artist, author, and spiritual teacher whose work explores themes of growth, resilience, and transformation. Born in Greenville, Mississippi, and based in Charlotte, North Carolina, his creative path began in childhood with comic book sketches in school margins. Inspired by Toy Story. He taught himself 3D modeling and motion design before returning to painting in 2020 as his main form of expression.

Starting with acrylics, Melvin expanded into watercolor and oil, using vibrant colors and symbolism to bridge the physical and spiritual. Melvin’s art invites viewers to reflect on their inner potential—seeds of change waiting to grow. His work has been featured in Charlotte and Greensboro Exhibits, and multiple shows across the Carolinas.

In 2024, he received the Arts & Science Council’s Emerging Creator Fellowship, which supported his studies at the NC Academy of Art and the Patriot Arts Foundation's Art of Valor workshops.

Brenda Y. Fonseca-Martinez (b. 2001) is a visual artist whose work explores the intersection of identity, culture, and personal experience. Raised by Mexican immigrant parents in Greensboro, North Carolina, Fonseca-Martinez draws deeply from her heritage and the complexities of growing up in a bicultural environment. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, where she developed her distinctive artistic voice.

Fonseca-Martinez’s practice is a powerful reflection of her lived experiences, particularly the emotional and psychological layers tied to her Mexican roots and the challenges of navigating life with a learning disability. Through her use of multifaceted materials—ranging from pattern-designed textiles and iconographies to bilingual texts and mixed media—she creates immersive works that speak to the intersection of trauma, memory, and resilience. Her art serves as a dialogue between personal narrative and cultural history, employing vibrant color palettes and intricate symbolism to explore themes of displacement, communication, and the search for belonging.

By weaving together elements of her heritage and her individual journey, Fonseca-Martinez transforms her emotional landscape into a visual language that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.