My passion

Nadia Meadows is a multidisciplinary visual artist whose sculptural practice explores identity, memory, and cultural storytelling through material experimentation. Working with hair, fabric, foam, wood, metal, and found objects, Meadows creates layered sculptural forms that investigate how personal and collective histories are embedded within everyday materials. Her work transforms familiar textures and objects into visual narratives that examine belonging, transformation, and self-definition.

Hair is a recurring and central material in Meadows’ work. As both a physical and symbolic thread, it represents heritage, care, resilience, and the intimate ways identity is shaped through cultural practice. Through sculpture and installation, she examines how hair functions as a carrier of memory and community connection. Meadows’ work frequently merges soft and rigid materials, creating sculptural environments that balance vulnerability and strength while inviting viewers to reflect on the layered nature of identity.

Meadows’ practice blends craft traditions with contemporary sculptural approaches. By combining tactile materials with experimental construction methods, she builds objects that blur the boundaries between sculpture, installation, and storytelling. Repetition, texture, and pattern often appear throughout her work, echoing traditions such as braiding, weaving, and other culturally rooted practices that connect making with identity and care.

In addition to her studio practice, Meadows is deeply engaged in community-based art and education. She develops workshops and collaborative art experiences that encourage participants to explore identity, memory, and cultural heritage through hands-on making. These programs often use accessible materials and storytelling prompts to create spaces where participants can reflect on their personal narratives while building connections with others.

Meadows was awarded the 2023 North Carolina Visual Arts Fellowship from South Arts, recognizing her contributions to contemporary art in the region. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and an Associate of Arts from Wake Technical Community College.

Her work has been exhibited at institutions including the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, McColl Center, Projective Eye Gallery, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and the Mint Museum. Her public art projects include installations such as Golden Threads for Charlotte’s Rail Trail Lights and Hair Cuticle, presented during the Charlotte SHOUT! Festival.

Her work has been featured in exhibitions including Generations at UNC Charlotte Center City, Southern Prize and State Fellows Exhibition at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, and Sovereign: Honoring Bodily Autonomy at McColl Center. The exhibition Generations is scheduled to return in a future presentation, continuing its exploration of artistic lineage and community.

Alongside her studio practice, Meadows continues to develop workshops and public programming, including future community events such as Art Field Day at McColl Center in August 2026, where she will lead creative activities that encourage participants to explore identity, storytelling, and material experimentation.

Through sculpture, installation, and community engagement, Meadows investigates how materials can carry stories, preserve memory, and create space for reflection and empowerment.

Artist Talks