Best friends Melissa and Sharetha have created a one-of-a-kind gallery where guests can take selfies, family photos, professional photos… or get some friends together just to have a little fun.
MoRA stopped in to the Independence Shopping Center last month to welcome the creative powerhouses behind Picture Project CLT and to see how the build was going. We were greeted by entrepreneurs Melissa Fuller and Sharetha Cooper, who have been best friends since kindergarten, and also Sharetha’s vibrant daughter Bailee.
Picture Project CLT is an intersection of the lady bosses’ talents, expertise, and passion. Melissa brings 20 years of event and design experience, and Sharetha is a professional photographer who does portraiture as well as commercial and business branding.
Framed down each side of the expansive interior are individual rooms that will house over 20 exhibits. Each one will be designed with unique props, art, and loads of creativity. Some exhibits may be rich with beautiful scenery painted by local artists and muralists. (They called to artists earlier this spring in hopes of hiring local talent to paint one or more walls in each room.)
Ah, the smell of drywall and sawdust… of new ideas gaining their form.
Some of the spaces will change seasonally and others will be mainstay themes. All of the spaces will be interactive and equipped with a ring light and camera/phone stand.
The intention is to give people a way to have fun, capture a unique image or selfie session, and even to acquire a professional set of photos.
Throughout the tour, Melissa and Sharetha shared a few more tricks they have up their sleeves—special offerings and features of the space—but we’ll have to let them tell you about that when the time comes. And keep an eye on their Instagram or website, as they’re releasing tickets in advance of their grand opening next month.
Before exiting, we asked Bailee to strike a pose that makes her feel powerful. Standing upon a stack of sheetrock, the kindergartener joyfully threw her arms with peace fingers into the air and beamed a smile straight through our lens. We think we’ll call this the “You’ve got radiant potential” themed room.
We’ll see you soon, Picture Project CLT!
Head over to Picture Project CLT’s website to RSVP for the grand opening or if you’re interested in working on a collaborative, creative team.
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