'Reflections' exhibit features Ninja Picasso, new artist

The art exhibition “Reflections: Art to Move & Inspire” featuring artists Nick Burns aka “Ninja Picasso” and Shayla McClellon will be on display in the Simpsonville Arts Center Lobby Art Gallery Sept. 25 – Nov. 3.

On the second day of the exhibit, a reception free and open to the public will be held in the gallery at 6-8 p.m. Members of the public can view the work of and chat with the artists and enjoy light refreshments and beverages during the opening on Sept. 26.

“Reflections” celebrates the work of two artists with very differently styles. Known as Ninja Picasso, Burns, who resides in Greenville, is a multi-disciplinary visual and performing artist originally from Simpsonville who uses the tag NJAP (N*Jah P), meaning “Not just a painting.”

Arts Center Manager Melissa Sturgis said she loves how Burns uses random objects and events to inspire his art.

“I first saw Burns’s work in 2022 when he was a Brandon Fellow at Greenville Center for the Creative Arts, and I was so moved by his paintings,” Sturgis said. 

Burns said his inspiration is “creating moments that challenge the typical art experience” using exhibitions and murals.

“My work explores the line between different mediums that create visual mixtapes from the soul,” Burns said.

Newly retired from the medical field, Shayla McClellon discovered her new talent as a painter during the pandemic. In her spare time, McClellon enjoys writing and is a published author of six suspense novels.

“For my art, I use both watercolor and oil in my work, and it’s my hope that the paintings give you a spiritual moment of reflection,” McClellon said.

Sturgis said McClellon’s paintings indeed tell a story.

“McClellon’s artwork gives us a glimpse into the lives of the women she paints,” Sturgis said. “You can’t help but take a moment to pause and reflect when you study her paintings.”

For more information, contact Simpsonville Arts Center Manager Melissa Sturgis at msturgis@simpsonville.com.