FAQ
After Nick Bragg was kicked out of kindergarten, he began learning to paint and play the piano in his hometown of Oxford, North Carolina. At 87, he’s painting constantly. Bragg is a renowned muralist, celebrated for prismatic timelines depicting the history and culture of towns, universities, and organizations. In his commissions, he paints colorful, contextualized, abstract stories which are replete with facts and whimsy.
This documentary presents an intimate portrait of the artist, who, for the first time, turns the gaze inward as he completes a new mural to illustrate the forces that shaped his life. The film captures Bragg, brushes in hand, painting his biography while exploring the creative forces that keep returning him to the work.
The film, which had a successful run at the 2025 RiverRun International Film Festival, will premiere on PBS North Carolina on October 9, 2025 as well as stream online and via the free PBS app.
The documentary will also be featured at the Full Bloom Film Festival in Statesville, NC, on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
Thanks for supporting us, we truly appreciate it! We successfully raised $76,000 to complete the film and post-production, so donations are closed at this time.
YES! With Good Stuff, a non-profit 501(c)(3) as our fiscal sponsor, all donations are tax-deductible. If you need a formal receipt for your tax records, please let us know! Good Stuff Tax ID: EIN: 82-2770018
Good Stuff, a 501(c)3, was founded in 2017. One of their goals is to support emerging arts and agricultural initiatives within the local Winston-Salem community, as well as communities across and outside of North Carolina.
$500 - $1,000 will be thanked in the film credits.
$5,000 and up will be thanked in the film credits as Producers.
$20,000 and above will be credited as Executive Producers.
We are pleased to announce that the documentary will screen at the 2025 RiverRun International Film Festival as part of NC SHORTS: Program One: Documentaries.
And we’re absolutely thrilled to share that Making Sense Backwards: The Nick Bragg Story will be distributed by PBS North Carolina on multiple platforms! (TV, streaming, etc.) We are excited that Nick’s inspiring story will become accessible to many. A final date has yet to be determined, but PBS NC is aiming for late September 2025. We will keep you posted!
The film and post-production were completed December 2024. The length is 26:30.
We are able to share our budget with donors and sponsors. Please email our Fundraising Manager Sara Woodmansee or call (828) 284-3930.
Amounts contributed to the film are paid to and held by Good Stuff, a nonprofit that supports the arts and local community enterprises. It will disburse these amounts only for their intended purposes, to cover the expenses of making this film. Diana Greene will not receive any payment for her time as director and producer until all other expenses are covered, and even then any payment for her time will be capped at $15,000. If for any reason all contributed amounts are not needed or spent, unused amounts will be returned pro rata to those who contribute more than $250.
This film is being done as a nonprofit artistic endeavor, rather than to generate revenues. If, however, it receives licensing royalties or other significant revenues, those will be distributed as follows: First, to cover any outstanding unpaid expenses. Second, pro rata to those who contribute $5,000 or more.
Diana S. Greene will own the film and its rights and will control its distribution. This also means Diana S. Greene, as director and producer, retains the final cut of the film. Editorial control of the film is solely hers.