(FREE) Sunny Dayz Series: Meet the Artists - Charity Hamidullah and Curtia Wright
Article and Interviews by Morgan Murphy / Ponca City Monthly Intern
Curtia Wright (left) and Charity Hamidullah (right), Sunny Dayz Mural Festival Artists - May 29, 2024
So, what has your experience in Ponca City been like since you've been here?
Curtia Wright: So it's been great. It's been very relaxing, it’s a different change of pace for me personally. Coming from Toronto, it's a lot louder and faster-paced. So, it's really nice. Everyone's very friendly and willing to learn about you, which is really refreshing and nice.
Charity Hamidullah: For me, Ponca City has been like a reset, like on life. Just like a time and moment of clarity to just breathe and think and relax and spend time in nature. So it's been just overall beautiful and the people are amazing.
What is the inspiration behind your mural?
Curtia Wright: “The piece itself is called ‘Enveloped in Light’. And it is, essentially, what that means to each of us. For me, that means coming into a new sense of self and moving from the past into a new one, so visually, our piece kind of shows two faces. It could be read from either way. This is something that I came to think about while painting it. It could be read from how you're coming into a new skin or going backward and revisiting a past self. So, it's just renewing yourself.”
What has been your biggest struggle in life?
Charity Hamidullah: “When I look at things, I don't look at them as struggles. I look at them as lessons where I need to grow. So I can't say that I feel like I receive it as a struggle - it is a space where I need to reflect on how I need to grow in that space. So I don’t look at things as struggles.
Curtia Wright: “I'm kind of in a similar headspace to that. Growing up I think I struggled socially trying to fit in, because I was a very quiet, timid person. I've kind of learned how to come alive around people, but I think I struggled with connecting with myself and others. I feel like I've been able to connect and socialize and learn more about people. And this event is such a beautiful thing because I've been able to meet so many people that I wouldn't have otherwise. I mean, you can meet people online - I met Charity on Instagram from before. But it's not the same as being in person and talking to people, getting to know them, and seeing their little quirks
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