Bio
Charlotte-based artist Dru Swan was born in Dallas, Texas, in 2001. In 2022, she earned an Associate of Fine Arts in Painting from Central Piedmont Community College and will complete her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Concentration in Painting at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in December 2025. In 2024 Swan’s artwork was showcased in several prominent group exhibitions, including the Dark and Divine pop-up at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture and the It's Like, Nude! pop-up at the McColl Center. She exhibited at the 2023 and 2024 Annual Juried Student Exhibition at Rowe Arts Gallery and has also taught painting and printmaking at Airy Knoll Arts Project in Middle Brook Virginia during the summer of 2025. While continuing her studies, Swan works from her home studio in Charlotte and is actively pursuing group exhibition opportunities.
CV
Education
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
2023-2025 Bachelors in Fine Arts with Concentration in Painting
Central Piedmont Community College
2020-2022 Associates in Fine Arts
Group Art Exhibitions
2025
University Career Center UNCC, Charlotte, NC
Annual Juried Student Exhibition Rowe Gallery, UNCC, Charlotte, NC
2024
Red Lorem Ipsum Listening Bar, Charlotte, NC
Dark and Divine Performance Suite, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture, Charlotte, NC
Blue Lorem Ipsum Listening Bar, Charlotte, NC
Global Studies Lambla Gallery, UNCC, Charlotte, NC
University Career Center UNCC, Charlotte, NC
It’s Like, Nude! McColl Center, Charlotte, NC
Annual Juried Student Exhibition Rowe Gallery, UNCC, Charlotte, NC
2023
Flame and Symbol Flux Galleries, Charlotte, NC
Believers and Cowards Petra’s Art Lounge, Charlotte, NC
2022
Pink Solar Flux Galleries, Charlotte, NC
The Last Night Petra’s Art Lounge, Charlotte, NC
Safe Space VAPA Center, Charlotte, NC
FAFO The Chamber by Wooden Robot, Charlotte, NC
The Day of Abstract Structure Petra’s Art Lounge, Charlotte, NC
Awards
2024 Winner Talking Walls Speed Paint Showdown, Lenny Boy Brewing, Charlotte, NC
2022
Kappy McCleneghan Drawing Award CPCC Annual Juried Student Art Show, Charlotte, NC
Painting Award CPCC Annual Juried Student Art Show, Charlotte, NC
2021
Painting Award CPCC Annual Juried Student Art Show, Charlotte, NC
Permanent Collection CPCC, Charlotte, NC
Events
2024
Panelist Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture, Charlotte, NC
Panelist Lorem Ipsum Listening Bar, Charlotte, NC
Live Painter Sue Lemmond Helms Community Art House, Charlotte, NC
Press
2025 Artist Feature NinerTimes
2024 Artist Feature ArtintheQC, Art Advocacy Organization
Portrait by Liv Willins