There's something quietly extraordinary about the moment public art stops a stranger mid-stride.
No gallery walls. No admission fee. No prerequisite of knowing what "good art" is supposed to look like. Just a person, a sidewalk, and an image that makes them feel something they weren't expecting to feel that day.
That's the power of public art — and it's exactly why being selected for ArtPop's 2026 Artist Cohort means so much to me.
What Is ArtPop Street Gallery?
ArtPop is a Charlotte-based nonprofit that transforms public spaces by placing locally-made artwork on billboards and displays across the region — and beyond. This year's cohort includes 19 adult artists and 5 high school seniors, each selected through a competitive jury process. Together, we're bringing art out of traditional spaces and into the everyday lives of people who might never set foot in a gallery.
For me, this isn't just an exciting professional milestone. It's a profound alignment of mission and opportunity.
Wildlife Conservation Art as a Voice for the Voiceless
My work has always been driven by a simple but urgent belief: the animals who share this p
lanet with us deserve to be seen, known, and fought for. Wildlife can't speak at city council meetings, lobby for their habitat, or post their own stories. That's where art comes in.
When someone pauses in front of a painting of a humpback whale mother and her newborn calf taking their first breath together — something shifts. A connection forms. And connections are where conservation begins.
This year, that painting — Time to Breathe — is the piece representing my work in ArtPop's 2026 initiative. A watercolor of a humpback whale mother and her baby surfacing for that miraculous first breath, it was a finalist for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation's Wildlife Artist of the Year in 2024 and won the Elizabeth Hosking Watercolor Award that same year. The original has since found a permanent home — but if it moves you the way it moves me, reproductions are available to bring a piece of that story into your own space.
Time to Breathe: The Humpback Whale Painting on Billboards from Charlotte to Times Square
I've had the surreal joy of watching my art appear on billboards throughout the Southeast, starting right here in Charlotte. Recently, I received something I'm still processing: footage of my work in Times Square.
Times Square.
Millions of people pass through that intersection every year from every corner of the world. And somewhere in that ocean of light and movement, a humpback whale and her baby are taking their first breath — asking to be noticed, asking to matter.
That is what it means to make art accessible. Not just aesthetically approachable, but physically present — in the spaces where people already live their lives.
Why Public Art Raises Awareness in Ways Galleries Cannot
When art lives only in galleries or behind a screen, it reaches the people already seeking it out. Public art finds everyone else. It meets commuters at eye level. It speaks to children on road trips. It catches the attention of someone having a rough Tuesday who wasn't looking for beauty but found it anyway.
For wildlife conservation, that reach is everything. Every person who slows down, looks up, and wonders about a whale — that's a seed planted. And seeds, given time, grow into advocates.
ArtPop understands this. Their model isn't just about elevating artists; it's about weaving art into the fabric of community life and making the statement that creativity, nature, and public space belong together.
What's Next for My ArtPop Journey
As ArtPop continues to expand into new regions, so does the opportunity to bring these stories to new audiences. I'm grateful for every billboard, every passerby, every moment of unexpected connection. And I'm deeply committed to using this platform to keep amplifying the creatures who need us to pay attention.
If you've spotted my work out in the world — in Charlotte, along a Southeast highway, or yes, even in Times Square — I'd love to hear from you. Tag me, share it, tell me what you felt when you saw it. That conversation is exactly what this is all for.
Because when a whale takes her first breath on a billboard in the middle of a city, maybe — just maybe — a few more people will care whether she gets to take another.
To learn more about ArtPop and their incredible work bringing art into public spaces, visit artpopstreetgallery.com. To see the full marine life collection, including reproductions of Time to Breathe, visit brettblumenthalart.com.
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