About Addison

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Addison Wahler is a Charlotte-based painter whose work explores the intersection of abstraction, figurative narrative, memory, and personal experience. He began his formal arts education at Northwest School of the Arts, where his senior portfolio received a Scholastic Art & Writing Awards National Silver Medal; an honor presented at Carnegie Hall in 2007.

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Addison continued his studies at the Maryland Institute College of Art, receiving merit-based scholarships while pursuing classical training in figure painting. Over time, his practice evolved toward a more expressive combination of abstract painting and figurative storytelling. His compositions invite viewers to form their own emotional and visual interpretations.

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Art and design have shaped Addison’s life across generations. His grandmother, Beverly, was an abstract expressionist influenced by Morris Louis and Paul Jenkins. His father, Robin, is a landscape architect and painter known for his atmospheric, color-field work, while his mother, Deb, built a career as an urban designer, landscape architect, and professor. Their creativity, discipline, and encouragement helped shape both Addison’s artistic voice and his interest in the built environment.

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Alongside his studio practice, Addison has worked in architectural rendering, landscape design, and urban design. He earned a Master’s in Urban Design from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2020 and continues to balance design work with his full-time commitment to painting.

Addison’s work also extends into Charlotte’s public realm. Along the Beatties Ford Road corridor, he created a public mural and an artist-designed crosswalk as part of the City of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity initiative. These projects bring his interest in color, storytelling, community, and place into the everyday urban environment while contributing to the identity and experience of the historic corridor.

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Addison’s recent paintings examine loneliness, depression, recovery, and the restorative power of unconditional love. Works such as Blondzai and Re-Ignition reflect his personal journey after returning to Charlotte from Baltimore, honoring the women whose support helped guide him through a difficult period. Through layered color, form, and suggestion, his work transforms personal struggle into open-ended images of connection, resilience, and renewal.