Title: “Crop Rotations” and “Of the Trees and the Sky”
Location: 18121 Old Statesville Road
Artists: Jill Anholt; Maja Godlewska
Date: 2021
Media: Glass and LED lights, Acrylic paint
Artist Info: www.jillanholt.ca, www.majagodlewska.com
Funding Source: Mecklenburg County
Story: The agrarian and rural history of the Cornelius community are central references for both pieces chosen for the North Regional Recreation Center in Cornelius. In “Crop Rotations” Jill Anholt transforms architecture into art. Her subject is the silo that houses the tubular slides of the indoor aquatic feature. Dichroic glass fins are planted like crops onto the silo exterior. The fins are activated by sunlight, and illuminated by programmable LED lights activated at night. The resulting light show evokes the life cycle of a crop: planting, watering, blooming, and finally harvesting.
NC based artist Maja Godlewska uses her signature abstract forms to convey ideas around farming history and the health and wellness purpose of the facility. The undulating blues of the sky also recall water, and the rich autumnal colors are reminiscent of ripening fruit before the oncoming frost. The forest canopy is enriched by peaceful hues, the perfect inspiration for a walk in the woods. There are multiple figures in the painting, abstracted and more or less blended in with the surroundings; some are chatting, or observing the view, while others are fitness walking, running, jumping, or riding bicycles.
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Why do we have public art in our communities? Public art serves as a catalyst for connectivity. It bonds people to a place and to one another—generating a greater sense of pride and responsibility for the places where we live. Public art celebrates the attributes of individual communities. It is also an excellent means of economic development. It creates a source of revenue for artists, and it creates landmarks that encourage tourism.
** Photo credit Mitchell Kearney.
Title: “Balancing Rock” and “Cornerstones”
Location: Intersection of Craven Thomas Road and Robert Helms Road
Artist: Robert Tully
Date: 2022
Media: Granite, powder coated steel and masonry
Artist Info: www.tullyartworks.com
Funding Source: City of Charlotte
Story: Robert Tully’s two sculptural installations are informed by community and the landscape. In “Balancing Rock” two life-size carvings lean against one another as though striving to be in a relationship. The use of a contrasting red and grey marble humanizes the installation. “Cornerstones” is a series of eight sculptures that act as wayfinding elements. Each adds color and visual interest to the walkways. The base of each sculpture refers to the foundations of old farm homes and newly developed houses in Prosperity Village. Colorful abstract forms inside the foundations express growth. The windscreens explore imagery of cash crops grown during the rural past of Prosperity Village.
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Mecklenburg County adopted its Public Art Ordinance on December 17, 2002, and the City of Charlotte adopted its Public Art Ordinance on May 27, 2003. Here’s to 20+ years of public art in Charlotte-Mecklenburg!
** Photo credit ASC.
Title: “Nested Hive”
Location: 3150 Eastway Park Drive
Artist: RE-Site
Date: 2020
Media: Ipe, painted steel
Artist Info: www.resite-studio.com
Funding Source: Mecklenburg County
Story: In the state-of-the-art Eastway Regional Recreation Center, the artists installed a play sculpture inspired by exploration of a giant beehive that has fallen from a tree. The RE-Site Studio is a team known for its multidisciplinary approach to art, connection to nature or landscape, and creative approach to storytelling. Since the facility has a pollinator garden, the artists used pollinator attracting violets, deep blues, cyans, and yellows. The sculpture becomes playful as you enter the inside of the hive but also references that this region was labeled a Hornet’s Nest of activity during the American Revolution.
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How does Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s Public Art Program work? ASC provides Program Management for Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The Public Art Ordinances appropriate 1% of eligible capital improvement project funds for public art. The 1% allocations are split: 85% toward art fees and 15% toward administrative fees. ASC manages the entire process including planning, artist selection, contracting, community engagement, facilitation of design, fabrication, and installation.
** Photo credit Reuben Bloom.
Title: “Pavers: A Story” and “Community”
Location: 7025 Albemarle Road
Artists: Roberto Delgado, Rude Calderon
Date: 2020
Media: Ceramic tile, basalt, Baja travertine onyx, stainless steel
Artist Info: www.rudecalderson.com
Funding Source: City of Charlotte
Story: Two projects work in harmony to connect the police and the community they serve at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Hickory Grove Division Station. The colorful and organic shaped ceramic tiles by artist Roberto Delgado create a pathway with the images and text from the artist’s community input sessions. Delgado is the recipient of two Fulbright Fellowships. Rude Calderon’s “Community” was inspired by the CMPD mentorship program and features a photographic depiction of a child and an officer on a massive stone pillar, topped by a hand carved onyx stone, roughly the shape of a hornet’s nest.
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How did it all start? The first ASC public art project was created in 1989. Wind Sculpture by Jack Pentes is a colorful, kinetic sculpture installed on a median along West Trade Street in Uptown. Projects were accomplished prior to the Public Art Ordinances being adopted by the County and City. The Public Art Program was established based on resolutions that the City and County passed in 1993. The separate Public Art Ordinances were adopted in 2002 and 2003. Even before the establishment of the Public Art Program, public art could be privately funded and donated to the County or City. As the local arts agency, ASC was involved in those projects.
** Photo credit ASC.
Title: “Excelsior: Ever Upward and Even Higher”
Location: 5 Points Plaza
Artist: J. Stacy Utley, Evoke Studio Architecture
Date: 2021
Media: Painted steel and LEDs
Artist Info: www.jstacyutley.com, www.evokearchitecture.com
Funding: City of Charlotte
Story: “Faith Walk” is the informal moniker assigned to the four sculptural pieces along the West Trade Street corridor titled “Ever Upward.” “Even Higher,” is the sculptural focal point of Five Points Plaza. Together these five pieces tell the tale of Charlotte’s Historic West End, a storied neighborhood with a complex history. The works were created collaboratively by architect and artist, J. Stacy Utley and Durham-based Evoke Studio Architecture.
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The artists were awarded the project in 2018 and began an intensive process of local engagement by listening to the elders of this long-established community. After many conversations with leaders and residents, ideas percolated around heritage, roots, and quilts, all of which inspired the artists. As you look upward, angular panels illustrate the ground-breaking walk of Dorothy Counts-Scoggins in 1957 to integrate Harding High School. The two other panels are the Excelsior Club, an important Black social hub, and Biddle Hall of Johnson C. Smith University. The exterior sculptural shape sweeps upward like outstretched arms, perhaps to encourage viewers to continue to walk toward hope and principles of excellence that inspired the sculpture.
** Photo credit Evoke Studio.
Title: “Wishes of Historic West End”
Location: Stewart Creek Greenway near State Street
Artist: Stephen Hayes
Date: 2021
Media: Aluminum, weathering steel, painted steel
Artist Info: www.stephenhayescreations.com
Funding Source: Mecklenburg County
Story: Stephen Hayes, associate professor of sculpture at Duke University, created six 13-foot-tall metal dandelion sculptures and a seating area for the Stewart Creek Greenway to honor Historic West End. For Hayes, the dandelion is an important metaphor for the changing neighborhoods of Historic West End in the face of gentrification. Like dandelions pulled up by their roots only to have their seeds blown to other areas, the residents in these neighborhoods are resilient. Look closely for the words of residents collected during community engagement meetings by the artists.
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ASC works closely with the Public Art Commission. The Public Art Commission (PAC) is a volunteer community board, composed of nine members appointed by the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and the Arts & Science Council. The role of the Public Art Commission is to oversee the artist selection and approve project design phases for ASC Public Art.
** Photo credit Mitchell Kearney.
Title: “Ascendus”
Location: Billy Graham Parkway
Artist: Ed Carpenter
Date: 2012
Media: Galvanized steel, stainless steel, laminated dichroic glass
Artist Info: www.edcarpenter.net
Funding Source: City of Charlotte, Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Story: Artist Ed Carpenter created an abstract gateway to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport along the Billy Graham Parkway. The 60-foot-tall sculpture suggests flight, movement, and wings. PRO TIP: The sculpture is illuminated by 54 LED lights at night.
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Who picks the art? The Public Art Commission ultimately decides who receives commissions to create public art. The process is competitive and involves a series of steps. Artist selection can take 5-6 months.
** Photo credit Mitchell Kearney.
Title: “Old Growth”
Location: Wilson Air Center (5400 Airport Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208)
Artist: Hoss Haley
Date: 2016
Media: Steel
Artist Info: www.hosshaley.com
Funding Source: City of Charlotte, Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Story: Hoss Haley transformed 25 tons of hard, rigid steel to create a sculpture that expresses the essence of an organic, growing tree. Asheville-based Haley is known for his monumental work in steel, concrete and bronze. He has several other public art pieces in Charlotte, including along the CATS light rail line and uptown. His work is often about contrasts. Charlotte is known as the City of Trees; introducing the element of nature at a modern, bustling airport located in a growing urban area, creates opportunity for thought about objects Charlotteans encounter every day. Mission accomplished!
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How do artists get chosen for public art projects? Artists are selected via Calls to Artists (Requests for Qualification, Requests for Proposals, or the Regional Artist Directory). The Public Art Commission appoints Artist Selection Panels of community representatives and arts professionals to recommend artists for commissions. Artist Selection Panel recommendations are approved by the Public Art Commission by a majority vote. From there, ASC contracts with the commissioned artist and begins design development.
** Photo credit Mitchell Kearney.
Title: “Response”
Location: 4427 Wilkinson Blvd
Artist: Vicki Scuri Siteworks
Date: 2017
Media: Concrete, weathering steel, LED lights
Artist Info: www.vickiscuri.com
Funding Source: Mecklenburg County
Story: Artist Vicki Scuri transformed the required concrete safety barriers in front of the MEDIC headquarters with her site-specific public sculpture. Eleven cut-metal screens cover concrete bases that reference the star shape of the MEDIC shield. The screens undulate in a pattern to mimic electrocardiographic vital signs. Washington-based and nationally recognized, Scuri is known for her symbolic pattern work. Here she connects the dots by applying artistic form to function.
Key Formal Elements:
Community Engagement is a crucial aspect of every project managed by ASC. Commissioned artists are required to work with members and stakeholders who live in the geographic region where the project will be installed. Community representatives participate on Artist Selection Panels. Community involvement is facilitated through artist-led workshops, surveys, and presentations.
** Photo credit Vicki Scuri.
Title: “Skyline”
Location: Charlotte Convention Center Pedestrian Bridge
Artist: Susan Narduli
Date: 2021
Media: Digital media, LED lights
Artist Info: www.nardulistudio.com
Funding Source: City of Charlotte
Story: Animated abstract light formations using 1,000,000 pixels programmed by Artificial Intelligence create an immersive experience in the pedestrian walkway that connects the Charlotte Convention Center to the Westin Hotel. Los Angeles-based Susan Narduli’s design team introduced innovative digital media and technology into Charlotte’s uptown. Narduli is an artist and architect who was included in the 2023 Venice Biennale.
Key Formal Elements:
Narduli’s project features the Cube as a focal point. In the Cube, 1,000,000 pixels are programmed by data that determines the colors and patterns of the light show each evening. Every night between 7 pm to 10 pm, “Skyline” produces a 10-minute light show on the hour. The skyline, wind, and night sky combine with the lights to create a unique urban welcome to visitors on all sides of the cube.
** Photo credit ASC.
Title: “Aquifer”
Location: Little Sugar Creek Greenway between S. Kings Drive and Baldwin Avenue
Artist: Masayuke Nagase
Date: 2010
Media: Carved granite and stone mosaics
Artist Info: www.mnagase.com
Funding Source: Mecklenburg County
Story: The Little Sugar Creek Greenway is a one-mile urban trail from 7thStreet to Morehead that threads beside what was formerly one of the most polluted creeks in North Carolina. Dotted with public art and community spaces, it is a much-loved amenity for bikers, walkers, runners, and the community.
Masayuke Nagase was born in Japan, trained in a stone-carving apprenticeship and later ran a studio in Croatia. His nine-foot-high vertical sculpture creates a focal point along the Greenway. Hand-carved low-relief patterns on the interior of each pillar represent aquifers. Make sure you find his beautiful “Mosaic of Nature” installation, based on native flora and fauna, embedded in the pavement around the fountain and comfort building.
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The average public art project takes 2 years to complete. Commissioned artists are responsible for Concept Design (come up with the big idea), Community Engagement (dialoging and working with communities), Schematic Design (implementation plan), Final Design (engineering and construction documents), Fabrication (build it), Installation (delivery and installation of artwork), and finally, Acceptance into the city or county public art collection.
** Photo credit Jeff Cravotta.
Title: “Brooklyn Stories”
Location: Pearl Street Park
Artist: Cliff Garten Studio
Date: 2021
Media: Stainless steel, bronze laser cut panels
Artist Info: www.cliffgartenstudio.com
Funding Source: Mecklenburg County
Story: City of Charlotte officials purchased this land in 1943. The land was developed into Pearl Street Park, one of the first parks officially intended for use by Black residents. The other large park in the area, Independence Park was reserved for whites. Surrounded by the thriving Brooklyn neighborhood for decades, Pearl Street Park was a gathering place, a place for football practice and a cornerstone of the neighborhood until Brooklyn was destroyed by the city during urban renewal of the 1960s and 1970s.
Key Formal Elements:
Internationally known artist Cliff Garten listened to the stories told by former residents and incorporated those stories into his site-specific sculpture. Additional community stories were gathered from interviews provided by the Levine Museum of the New South from its exhibit “Brooklyn: Once a City Within a City.” Notice the block letters of “Pearl St” and “Brooklyn” engraved on the sculpture.
** Photo credit Mitchell Kearney.
Title: “Tribute”
Location: American Legion Memorial Stadium
Artists: Simon Donovan, Ben Olmstead
Date: 2021
Media: Painted steel
Artist Info: www.donovanolmstead.com
Funding source: Mecklenburg County
Story: American Legion Memorial Stadium was built as a Public Works Administration project after the Great Depression. Fun Fact: President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke at the dedication in 1936. When the stadium was completely rebuilt in 2019, ASC managed the public art process for this sculpture. Artists Simon Donovan and Ben Olmstead are an Arizona-based, multimedia artist team with a national portfolio of public art projects.
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Are your eyes playing tricks, or is this a magical sculpture? From one angle, the figures are barely visible. But as the viewer moves to each side, fully realized and recognizable forms appear. Five branches of the U.S. Military are represented through a diverse range of identities: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. On the other side, the same steel panels form a gentle wave of the American flag. At certain angles you can see this flag and the figures at the same time.
** Photo credit Mitchell Kearney.
Title: “Natural Rhythm”
Location: Independence Park near Charlottetown Ave
Artist: Georgie Nakima
Date: 2022
Media: Spray paint
Artist Info: www.gardenofjourney.com
Funding source: Mecklenburg County
Story: Georgie Nakima was commissioned by ASC to paint a mural commemorating the redesign of Independence Park, North Carolina’s first public park. Nationally renowned, Nakima’s murals brighten walls throughout Charlotte, including South End, Historic West End, the East Side and Camp North End. Her art features vibrant colors and geometric motifs.
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Nakima’s work draws on Afrofuturism and nature. Consider how the diversity of the portraits connects to the diversity in nature that we see in this historic open space of Charlotte. Perhaps the flowers are a connection to the park’s famed rose garden that was destroyed and replaced by road construction. Nakima’s intention is to welcome all visitors to enjoy this park, which historically was reserved for whites only, but is now welcoming, inclusive, and accessible to all people.
** Photo credit Mitchell Kearney.
Title: “Rivulet” and “Sycamore”
Location: Little Sugar Creek Greenway at Brandywine Trailhead
Artists: GroundWorks Studio and Shaun Cassidy
Date: 2022
Media: Powder-coated steel, concrete
Artist Info: www.groundworksstudio.com
Funding Source: City of Charlotte
Story: Laurel Holtzapple, artist and Principal of GroundWorks Studio, a local landscape architecture and urban design firm collaborated with Shaun Cassidy, a professor of fine arts at Winthrop University to create two sculptures at the Brandywine Road entrance to the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. The artworks serve as a trailhead to this section of the Cross Charlotte Trail. Both pieces are functional and artistic and provide a touch of whimsy to this busy trail for bikers, walkers, and runners.
The blue, welded steel sculpture “Rivulet” relates to rivulets of creeks and evolves into a required fence. The three concrete benches provide seating and are inspired by the bark of sycamore trees, often found in Southeast flood plains. Notice how the benches are designed like puzzle pieces made to fit together.
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What happens when a piece of public art is removed or damaged? Public artworks created through the Public Art Ordinances are the property of the City of Charlotte or Mecklenburg County. The city and the county maintain the artworks in their respective collections. If an artwork becomes damaged beyond repair or needs to be removed due to site changes or demolition, then the artwork is deaccessioned. Deaccessioning is a process of formally removing an artwork from a collections registrar or inventory. The Public Art Commission must approve acts of deaccession and weigh the decision against whether all options for keeping and maintaining the artwork have been explored. Once an artwork is deaccessioned the artist is notified and the artwork is destroyed.
** Photo credit ASC.
Title: “Stem”
Location: Marsh Park, Little Sugar Creek Greenway
Artist: John Grade Studio
Date: 2021
Media: Purple heartwood
Artist Info: www.johngrade.com
Funding Source: Mecklenburg County
Story: Marsh Park is a wetland habitat and is part of the expansion of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. Sedge is a grass-like plant native to Marsh Park. A magnified cross-section of a sedge rhizome inspired Seattle-based sculptor John Grade and became the basis for this sculpture. Grade and his studio work with geological and biological forms to create three-dimensional wood carvings.
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Let’s talk ASC By the Numbers:
** Photo credit ASC.
Title: “Open Book, Open Mind”
Location: 5801 Rea Road
Artist: Jim Gallucci
Date: 2021
Media: Stainless steel, powder-coated aluminum sheets
Artist Info: www.jimgalluccisculptor.com
Funding Source: Mecklenburg County
Story: A vibrant gateway welcomes visitors to the South County Regional Library. North Carolina based artist Jim Gallucci’s sculpture features books suggested during the community input phase of this public art project. Two cantilevered arches form the spine, upon which the floating pages hover above visitors walking into the library. Each title features a different font that aligns with the actual book cover. Gallucci’s other public art projects in Charlotte are located at The Green in uptown and the Briar Creek Bridge in East Charlotte. PRO TIP: Notice how the sculpture’s titles appear in shadows on the ground also.
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ASC supports local and North Carolina artists. Over the years, 98 North Carolina artists have been commissioned to create public art by ASC.
** Photo credit Mitchell Kearney.
Title: “Connected Thread”
Location: 11217 Providence Road West
Artist: Suikang Zhao
Date: 2021
Media: Powder coated stainless steel, LED lights
Artist Info: www.zhaosuikang.com
Funding Source: City of Charlotte
Story: The connection between community and police officers is celebrated by artist Suikang Zhao’s sculpture, which is affixed on two exterior walls of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department South Division Station. Each of the 18 stainless steel wing-like panels is laser cut with words chosen collectively, and specifically for the artwork. The words selected by the neighborhood’s citizens and police officers were translated into 24 languages before being cut into the metal. Each panel appears to float, while gently enveloping the building.
Key Formal Elements:
The featured words are life, earth, water, grateful, community, kindness, empathy, compassion, truth, spiritual, beauty/beautiful, peace (ful), love, blue, green, unite/unity, growth, friend (ship), relationship, nature, respect, people, courtesy, teamwork.
Pro Tip: LED lights illuminate the sculpture at night.
** Photo credit ASC.