Sketches of Charlotte

Look closely on any given night at any given Charlotte hotspot, and you’ll likley see an unassuming woman off in a corner, her sketchbooks and drawing instruments in hand. It’s artist Hannah Barnhardt, also known as “The Real Charlotte Observer.”

Barnhardt draws us as we rap, sing, play guitar or spin records; as we talk loudly over pitchers of beer or quietly over coffee; or as we hold up signs demanding justice at demonstrations.

After Barnhardt’s recent show at C3 Lab, ‘Creative Loafing’ sat down with the artist and asked her to describe what a typical night on the town looks like to an observer with a sketchbook. But we wanted her to tell us in images, not words.

Barnhardt doesn’t drink, so when she draws us partying our nights away, she sees us evolve from clear-eyed and sociable to drunken messes. We came up with a name for what she witnesses and documents: The Melt. — Editors

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Read about Hannah Barnhardt’s process here.