Little Victories is a moveable public art installation created in 2021 for Chatham Arts Council’s JumpstART / Chatham Experience. Built as a diptych on two freestanding wood panels, the piece was designed to be displayed together or separately, allowing it to adapt to different public settings while still reading as one connected visual story.

The work draws from both circus imagery and the visual language of graphic novels to tell a story about encouragement, momentum, and the quieter kinds of support that help carry people forward. Its title was inspired by the idea that small wins along the way can hold just as much meaning as the larger milestones.

A recurring female character appears throughout the panels, including as the motorcyclist in the upper left. She grew out of a character I first began developing in an online class with Ten Hundred in 2019 and had previously explored in my painting Turning Adversity Into Adventure. In Little Victories, she became part of a broader visual narrative shaped by personal references, family inspiration, and the idea of moving through life with both determination and support.

The overall visual theme is rooted in the circus, but the deeper message reaches beyond spectacle. Growing up, I heard stories of family members performing, juggling, riding unicycles, and walking on stilts. That history, along with my own love of face and body painting, helped shape the world of the piece. Rather than presenting support in a typical motivational-poster way, I wanted to show it through a more layered, artful story—one where encouragement, practice, and the people behind the scenes all matter.

Little Victories first appeared publicly at the Pittsboro Welcome Center for the 2021 Chatham Experience, then remained on public display in Pittsboro for years afterward before eventually being removed and returned to my home studio. Prolonged outdoor display and moisture exposure deteriorated the bottoms of the panels, so the installation is no longer for sale and is now retired from outdoor display.

What I love about this piece is that it brings together story, symbolism, and structure in a format that can live in shared space. It was created not only to be seen, but to offer a moment of color, reflection, and encouragement within the everyday.

Title: Little Victories
Size: 8'w x 8'h
Site/City: Pittsboro, NC. 
Medium: Exterior latex and Acrylic paint on primed panel boards.
Date: October - November 2021.

Case Study

I've written a more technical version for committee members on RFQ/RFP/RFI review boards or anyone interested in reading analytic case studies. Read it here.