There’s a saying that goes, “those who can’t do, teach.” Local artist Maya Freelon is defying that notion in real time as an award-winning artist and now, as an Assistant Teaching Professor at NC State.
If you haven’t visited one of Freelon’s exhibitions, it’s likely that you’ve seen her work out and about. Her original artwork “Spill” was the inspiration behind the mural on the side of Peace Raleigh Apartment’s parking deck, across from Midwood Smokehouse.
Freelon began teaching Contemporary Issues in Art and Design at NC State in January and relishes the opportunity to guide + inspire the upcoming generation of artists in Raleigh.
“As an educator, you have moldable minds, and it’s beautiful to see people who want to learn,” Freelon told RALtoday. “My dad’s alma mater was NC State, and he was an architect who made sure I knew we were a part of the Wolfpack.”
Phil Freelon, a renowned architect and Maya’s father, was the mastermind behind projects like The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and Raleigh’s Freedom Park, so when the opportunity to teach at the university came, it wasn’t “a far fetched idea,” said Freelon.
“I think what I bring to the classroom is the unique perspective of identity. I am challenging what we understand and what we think we know,” Freelon said.
Much of Freelon’s work has been an exploration of identity + culture and has taken her around the world to places like Paris, Jamaica, and Italy. Major corporations including Duke University and Google have displayed and acquired her work. Freelon attests her success and access to opportunities throughout her career as the result of, “not letting fear hold you hostage.”
Look out for more of Freelon’s art in her upcoming solo exhibition at the Gregg Museum of Art + Design in 2026.
