February 9, 2021
Charlotte is Creative
PODCAST: CREATIVEMORNINGS/REWIND WITH IRISOL GONZALEZ
At the February 2021 gathering of CreativeMornings/Charlotte, artist, activist and Costa Rican native Irisol Gonzalez spoke about the global theme of promise. After immigrating to the United States at just 10 years old, Gonzalez made a promise to herself that she would become a full-time artist.
Today, she’s a staple community member among Charlotte artists. In this edition of CreativeMornings/Rewind, Head Biscuit Baker Tim Miner talks to Gonzalez about her personal promises and how she’s working with younger creatives and communities in Charlotte and abroad.
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November 19, 2020
Gaston County's Banner News
Belmont's New CityWorks building gets a beautiful mural
When the new Belmont CityWorks building at 1401 E. Catawba Street opens to the public, folk who step out of the elevator onto the second floor to conduct business such as paying a water bill will be agog at what they see painted on the walls there. The special and spectacular feature ia a mural created by Irisol Gonzalez that traces the story of Belmont from its earliest days to the present time and even into the future.
August 6, 2020
Vozes Expresión Cultural
Machismo: un problema creado por la sociedad
En Charlotte, al menos, hacen falta más artistas latinos que comiencen a generar conversaciones en torno a nuestra cultura y temas que modifiquen la imagen del inmigrante, a pesar de las cargas diarias, Irisol invita al talento latino a lanzarse al agua, dejar esas cargas y brincar los obstáculos para que nuestras voces se escuchen y se conozca nuestra cultura latina tan vasta, a través del talento del inmigrante.
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July 31, 2020
Arts and Science Council
Artist Irisol Gonzalez Knows a Thing or Two About Taking Risks
Over the past three years, Gonzalez’s sacrifice, work ethic and risk-taking ways yielded abounding results. Her “Almendro” painting was displayed on billboards and newspaper racks around the greater Charlotte area and on kiosks in the Charlotte Douglas International Airport after she was named Art Pop Street Gallery Charlotte class of 2019. After completing the META Mural Residency 2019 by Brand the Moth, she has painted two murals in Charlotte and a few months ago, QC Exclusive Magazine named her one of 20 Charlotte women who are shaping the Charlotte arts landscape. But the highlight so far has been ASC’s Emerging Creators Fellowship.
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July 21, 2020
Charlotte is Creative
Have the Coolest Zoom in the Room
With help from Charlotte SHOUT!, we engaged 15 artists from across the city to create custom Zoom backgrounds in their style. They each picked a scene or topic about life in Charlotte. Now, they’re available for you to download and use as your background.
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May 21, 2020
Arts and Science Council
ASC Fellowship Program Rewards Emerging, Established Creatives
Irisol Gonzalez, a visual artist whose work focuses on the intricacies of being an immigrant raised in the Southern United States by Latino parents. Gonzalez will use her fellowship to support the exploration and execution of a developing “Machismo” visual art series which focuses on sexism in Latin American culture.
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March 11, 2020
The Charlotte Observer
This artist has much to say about gender roles. You can see it in her latest paintings
Details are at the center of Gonzalez’s work – “Machismo” is no exception. If you miss those details, you don’t understand the story, she said. She wants viewers to interpret the works for themselves, reflecting on their own circumstances and beliefs. She knows her work will be controversial.
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January 16, 2020
Charlotte is Creative
HUGUMENTARY: IRISOL IS COLORING THE QUEEN CITY
Of the HUG, Irisol says, “Making the the HUG granted piece meant a commitment to my craft and the people of Charlotte who could relate to it. It became a voice for more than myself. ”
The self-portrait may be complete, but Irisol’s not one to rest on her laurels, Irisol has an array of new projects on the horizon. “I am working on a series about sexism in Latin American culture. The series hopes to educate and question our belief system,” she says.
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December 19, 2019
QC @ 3 - WBTV
Local Woman Creates Art Using Colored Pencils And More
Earlier today on QC Morning, we introduced you to Irisol Gonzalez. She earned a HUG grant from our friends at Charlotte is Creative. This afternoon, Irisol joined us in studio to show us some of her beautiful artwork and showed Cheryl how to do some shadowing!
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December 19, 2019
QC Morning - WBTV
Hug Grants Helping Charlotte’s Creative Community
Our friends, Tim and Matt with Charlotte is Creative joined us in studio to talk about one of the first Hug Grants they handed out. A Hug Grant is a $250 strings free micro-grant given to people in the Charlotte area that are doing creative things. The grant was given to a local artist. She doesn’t use photography or paint, instead she uses colored pencils to create her art. And she’s got a very specific reason why.
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September 24, 2019
QC Exclusive Magazine
Art For All: Twenty Charlotte Women Shaping the Charlotte Arts Landscape
Irisol's current body of work includes colored pencil drawings, oil paintings, mixed media, sculpture and music. With color, texture and sound, she explores the sentiments and physical experience of being a brown, immigrant woman in today's American political atmosphere.
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February 13, 2019
Hola News
Almond Trees in the Skies of Charlotte
González is one of 20 artists chosen by Art Pop 2019, an organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of art through its display at billboards, bus stops, bridges, and other public spots in the North and South Carolina region. “Art teaches history, it makes you see it. Art makes you feel, put yourself in other people's shoes, in your own way, but always in someone else's shoes.”
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December 8, 2018
QC Nerve
Slideshow: ArtPop Announces Class of 2019
At an annual unveiling party on Thursday night, ArtPop Street Gallery founder Wendy Hickey announced the organization’s Class of 2019, 20 artists whose work will be featured on billboards and newspaper racks around the greater Charlotte area and displayed on kiosks in the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in the coming year.
