House 273
Note: this exhibit is a little long - might want to sit down, lean against a wall, something
ARCHITECTURAL
ANCHORS
This house was a hub of activity and ideas—hosting family gatherings, new organizations, church meetings, weddings, and even pop-up visits from the Mayor. It was a revolving door of influential people: some came to learn, others to share their knowledge.
My grandparents, whether intentionally or not, created a home that welcomed everyone—a space that felt like home to so many. Their warmth, curiosity, and generosity set the tone for the countless gatherings and meaningful connections that would follow.
CLIFFORD
HE SPENT HIS DAYS BUILDING COMPUTERS
Sent to “babysit” my grandfather during school breaks, I found myself in the middle of something much bigger: a world of building computers from scratch. Watching and helping him, I definitely gained a hands-on understanding of technology: how it’s made, how it works, and a curiosity that would lead me down the path to marketing and graphic design.
Bonding with my grandfather in this way didn’t just create memories; it laid the foundation for a future design thinking, giving me a head start in navigating technology with confidence and creativity.
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BERTHA C.
SHE SPENT HER DAYS LEARNING & TEACHING MUSIC
In her spare time, my grandmother poured her gifts into others, teaching voice, piano, and leading the church choir every Sunday. She instilled discipline, harmony, and a deep respect for craft in every one of her children and grandchildren.
Music shaped the rhythm of my upbringing; it taught me how individual notes become something greater when they work together. That same understanding guides my art and design today—finding balance, creating harmony, and letting every element have its own voice.
DYNAMIC
SHIFTS
When my grandmother passed away on my daughter’s birthday, it felt like the closing of one chapter just as another began. As we began to sell our family home, it reminded me how deeply rooted the start of my life was attached to it. Every lesson my grandparents poured into our family—discipline, creativity, resilience—still lived within those walls.
As my career grew and I found my place in the world, I realized so much of who I am was shaped there. The house isn’t just part of my past—it’s part of the legacy I’m responsible for carrying forward, for my daughter and every generation after her.
WHAT'S IN A
NUMBER?
The digits themselves really don't tell a story. I know y'all thought I was gonna add 2+7+3 and give you a deep story about the number 12, but nah.
The history behind the number isn't anything extremely deep, but it derives from the home my grandparents built upon returning to South Carolina from building a life in New York. It might have been simpler to say "my grandparents' house," but that would understate the magnitude of what they built – beyond shelter, they provided a cultural foundation that shaped my entire perspective of community, while defining what the nurturing of creativity looked and felt like.
Come inside, kinda.