GREENSBORO, N.C. (Sept. 15, 2025) – Creative Greensboro has commissioned “Resilience in Bloom,” an original painting by North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alumnus Karrington Gardner, for display in Greensboro City Hall.The 10-foot-by-20-foot vinyl reproduction is installed on the council chamber wall of the Melvin Municipal Office Building, 300 W. Washington St., and will be on view through July 2026.
Creative Greensboro, established in 2019, supports the city’s arts community through artistic programs, featuring Greensboro-based artists and bringing original artwork into public spaces. Gardner, a 2021 graduate of N.C. A&T’s Visual Arts Program within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, completed his MFA in studio art at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in may 2024 and began teaching that fall.
“Resilience was central to this painting’s title because that is exactly what educators embody,” Gardner said. “We remain flexible,adapt to shifting circumstances,and continue to support our students even when the system fails to support us.”
The painting incorporates imagery of students from both N.C. A&T and UNCG, alongside Greensboro landmarks including the February One monument, the lincoln Financial Group building, and architectural details from each campus. Gardner’s work has been featured at Greensboro Project Space, the African American Atelier, GreenHill Center for North Carolina Art, and the Weatherspoon Art Museum, exploring the concept of space as it relates to identity through collage and painting. He currently teaches at both N.C.A&T’s Department of Visual and Performing Arts and UNCG.
“It is an honor for the visual Arts Program, faculty and students to see Karrington receive this commission,” said Roymieco Carter, A&T associate professor and director of the Visual Arts Program. “It’s inspiring for us to see his painting capturing the spirit and the character of Greensboro.”
More information about Creative Greensboro is available at https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/creative-greensboro/about-creative-greensboro.
