NC artist exhibiting works to make people ponder humanity, religion and society Billy Chapman Sep 30, 2025 Sep 30, 2025 0 × Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Artist Joan E. Gardner has a questioning nature.kAm“x =@G6 2CE 2D … 362FEJ 7@C 362FEJ’D D2<6[” v2C5?6C[ 2 C6D:56?E @7 $96CC:==D u@C5[ D2:5] “x’> 2 G6CJ D@4:2==J 6?82865 A6CD@? 2?5 2=H2JD 92G6 366? :? >J 25F=E =:76]”k^AmkAmv2C5?6C’D 2CEH@C<D E92E BF6DE:@? G:6HD @? 9F>2?:EJ[ C6=:8:@? 2?5 D@4:2= 2446AE2?46 2C6 36:?8 D9@H42D65 2E 2 D@=@ 6I9:3:E 2E !2F= wF?E6C $A628=6’D p%pr v2==6CJ 2E `_a_ bC5 pG6 sC }([ w:4<@CJ[ }r age_`]k^AmkAm%96 ?2>6 @7 E96 D9@H :D “tI2>:?6 E96 !2DE[ rC62E6 E96 uFEFC6]”k^Am kAm“(96C6 5@ H6 4@>6 7C@>[ H92E 2C6 H6 2?5 H96C6 2C6 H6 8@:?8n[” v2C5?6C D2:5[ 4:E:?8 2 A2:?E:?8 @7 E96 D2>6 ?2>6 3J `hE9\46?EFCJ uC6?49 2CE:DE !2F= v2F8F:?] “%92E H@F=5 36 E96 >2:? BF6DE:@? WE92E E:6D E96 6I9:3:E A:646D E@86E96CX]k^Am People are also reading… Friday Five: Celebrity spotted, Chick-fil-a opens and Rotary at the library Soccer title caps Hickory Ridge's GMAC triple crown Cabarrus Sheriff’s Office urges caution, clarity on e-bike laws As Dale Earnhardt’s mythology grows, so does that of his NC hometown. ‘One of us’ Gritty and fun: Hickory Ridge’s winning identity Cabarrus deputies complete New Sergeants Course Big cuts on the table for Cabarrus Schools, county weighs in No passport required: Explore the world from Downtown Concord Kannapolis names roundabout for Mike Legg, also presented Order of the Longleaf Pine Cabarrus seeks public input on possible 2026 school bond referendum Cabarrus County Sports Hall of Fame Wall to be unveiled Saturday Cabarrus Calendar Google bringing warehousing operation to Kannapolis Trump signs bill to fund DHS agencies including Secret Service, TSA Atrium Health, WakeMed propose partnership with $2 billion investment kAm“(6’C6 2E 2 A=246 H96C6 H6 ?665 E@ >@G6 36J@?5 @FC D:>A=:DE:4[ 3:?2CJ E9:?<:?8[ =:<6 ‘x’> 8@@5[ J@F’C6 325[’” v2C5?6C D2:5] “xE’D G6CJ ?F2?465[ 6G6CJE9:?8 :D E:65 E@86E96C]”k^Am Joan E. Gardner stands in front of one of her works at ATAC Gallery in Hickory. Billy Chapman, Record kAm%96C6 2C6 EH@ A2CED E@ v2C5?6C’D 6I9:3:E] ~?6 D9@HD A2:?E:?8D[ 32??6CD 2?5 D4F=AEFC6D E92E 4@>>6?E @? D@4:2= :DDF6D] %96 2CE :?G:E6D G:6H6CD E@ BF6DE:@? E96:C E9:?<:?8[ :?E6CAC6E2E:@?D @7 r9C:DE:2?:EJ[ 2446AE2?46 @7 4@?7=:4ED 2?5 D@4:6E2= ?@C>D]k^Am kAmp? :?E6C24E:G6 :?DE2==2E:@? 2D<D G:D:E@CD E@ 6I2>:?6 E96:C @H? H@CE9 2?5 E96 G2=F6 @7 @E96CD] %96 :?DE2==2E:@?[ 42==65 “~z^}@E ~z”[ D9@HD `_ A:4EFC6D @7 2?:>2=D[ A6@A=6 2?5 G686E23=6D] x? E9:D D64E:@?[ “E96 G:6H6C :D :?G:E65 E@ A2CE:4:A2E6 :? E96 H@C< 3J 42DE:?8 E@<6?D 2D E@ E96 A6C>:DD:3:=:EJ[ F?56C 2?J 4:C4F>DE2?46D[ @7 E2<:?8 E96 =:76 @7 E96 DF3;64E >2EE6C :? 2?J @7 E96 E6? :>286D[” 2 56D4C:AE:@? @7 E96 :?DE2==2E:@? D2:5]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack kAm“v2C5?6C’D 4@>A6==:?8 3@5J @7 H@C< C67=64ED E96 EF>F=EF@FD ?2EFC6 @7 @FC 4FCC6?E E:>6D[ AC6D6?E:?8 D@4:2= :DDF6D E9C@F89 3@E9 =:E6C2= 2?5 >6E2A9@C:42= 2CE:DE:4 6IAC6DD:@?D[” 2 56D4C:AE:@? @7 E96 6I9:3:E:@? D2:5]k^Am kAmv2C5?6C 92D 6I9:3:E65 96C H@C< 7@C >@C6 E92? bd J62CD 2E >FD6F>D 2?5 82==6C:6D E9C@F89@FE E96 4@F?ECJ]k^AmkAm$96 92D 366? :?E6C6DE65 :? 2CE D:?46 49:=59@@5]k^AmkAm“x H2D 2=H2JD E96 2CE:DE :? >J 7:CDE\8C256 4=2DD[” v2C5?6C D2:5] “pD 2 49:=5[ A6@A=6 D2:5[ ‘~9 =@@<[ D96 42? 5C2HP’ p?5 E92E 7@==@H65 >6 E9C@F89 9:89 D49@@=]”k^Am kAm$96 E2F89E 2CE 2E D49@@=D :? ~9:@ 2?5 :? {:?4@=? r@F?EJ] x? {:?4@=? r@F?EJ[ D96 D2:5 D96 DE2CE65 2? 2CE 4=F3 2?5 >6?E@C65 >2?J DEF56?ED H9@ H6?E @? E@ 364@>6 2CE:DED]k^Am Paul Hunter Speagle and Joan E. Gardner stand in front of some of her works at ATAC Gallery. Billy Chapman, Record kAm$A628=6 D2:5 E9:D :D E96 7:CDE D@=@ 6I9:3:E:@? 2E p%pr v2==6CJ]k^AmkAm“(6’C6 C62==J 6I4:E65 3642FD6 E9:D :D >@C6 2=@?8 E96 =:?6D @7 E96 D9@HD H6’C6 DE2CE:?8 E@ AFD9[” $A628=6 D2:5] “%2=<:?8 23@FE BF6DE:@?D 2?5 E9@F89ED[ 962C:?8 A6@A=6’D @A:?:@?D 2?5 86EE:?8 4@?G6CD2E:@?D 8@:?8[ CF77=6 D@>6 762E96CD D@ E@ DA62<] (6’C6 C62==J 92AAJ E@ >@G6 :? E9:D <:?5 @7 658:6C 5:C64E:@? 2E E96 >@>6?E]”k^AmkAm%96 6I9:3:E :D @A6? 2E p%pr v2==6CJ[ `_a_ %9:C5 pG6] sC:G6 }([ ?@H E9C@F89 ~4E] `f]k^Am kAmu@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ 4@?E24E $A628=6 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i9F?E6C2E24o8>2:=]4@>Qm9F?E6C2E24o8>2:=]4@>k^2m @C gag\e`a\_dce]k^Am Billy Chapman is a reporter with the Hickory Daily Record. wchapman@hickoryrecord.com 0 Comments Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Artist Joan E. Gardner talks about inspiration for some of her works