Funfetti!

Todd Stewart assisted Artist Grace Stott in fabricating a public artwork for Atrium Health and the Town of Huntersville, NC:

Tiles with local ties transformed into ‘Funfetti’ in downtown Huntersville

September 02, 2020

by Lee Sullivan

HUNTERSVILLE – Messages from town residents – fashioned through artistic creativity with support from a corporate neighbor promoting all aspects of community health – have been blended into a permanent, public art display in the heart of Huntersville.

At ceremonies Aug. 27 – with crowd size limited due to COVID-19 precautions – a partnership’s vision came to fruition with the unveiling of “Funfetti,” an interactive exhibit fashioned from hundreds of tiles created by town residents.

The spinnable, multi-level artwork created by area artist Grace Stott – with fabrication and engineering assistance from fellow artist Todd Stewart – is the centerpiece of a permanent exhibit outside Town Center at the corner of N.C. 115 and Gilead Road. The exhibit also features several tile-covered benches.

The project is the culmination of a joint effort by the town, the Huntersville Public Arts Commission and Atrium Health to promote art as an asset for the town – a commitment Huntersville Major John Aneralla described as “a labor of love, and patience.”

A permanent art display has been an arts commission objective for several years and, with Atrium Health’s backing, “create a tile” opportunities were an attraction at festivals, gatherings, and other parks and recreation department events during the last few years, ultimately drawing participation from more than 500 families.

“From the moment we learned about the community art project, we wanted to be part of it,” Lois Ingland, Atrium’s vice president for community engagement and corporate responsibility, said of Atrium’s commitment to the project.

Atrium’s Northeast Market President Chris Bowe added that support for public art aligns with Atrium’s overall emphasis on community betterment.

“We encourage and embrace art in all of our spaces, “Bowe said during the unveiling ceremonies, which also included remarks from Huntersville Mayor John Aneralla and Huntersville Public Arts Commission Co-Chair April Dunn. “We know art is part of the healing process, and we consider public space as a healing space.

Bowe added Atrium appreciated the chance to be part of “the partnership with the town, and the parents and children of Huntersville,” to support Stott’s work to turn the hand-crafted tiles into community art.

Also during the ceremonies, April Dunn, co-chair of Huntersville’s arts commission, described the permanent art exhibit as a valuable asset to the community and something that “helps beautify the town … and showcases local talent.”

Stott, who operates out of the Goodyear Arts Collective in Charlotte, said her idea for the project came into focus almost immediately when she saw the arts commission’s request for proposals. She said ceramics and mosaic work are her specialties, and the idea of incorporating individual messages from the tiles into a comprehensive display grabbed her imagination.

“I immediately got out my sketchbook and went to work,” Stott said. “I really like working with kids’ art, it’s so creative and natural, and I wanted something that embraced that child-like creativity.”

She added the idea for benches surrounding the “Funfetti” centerpiece evolved through a desire to use as much of the locally-created artwork as possible in the exhibit.

“There were so many,” she said, “and we wanted to include them all.”