Community works on IFC art

By Meghan Davis

Staff Writer

New artwork soon will brighten the lives of those who eat, stay and work in the Inter-Faith Council’s community shelter.

Local artist Sally Erickson is putting the finishing touches on a broken-tile mosaic that will adorn the walls of the shelter’s dining room — a project sponsored by the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission.

The mosaic is set to be finished in March.

On Saturday, Erickson brought two sections of the mosaic to the shelter, located at the corner of Columbia and Rosemary streets, so residents could have a hands-on experience with the project.

Despite competition from the icy weather and the UNC-Virginia men’s basketball game, several residents and employees helped Erickson break, arrange and cement tile pieces.

“I never thought I’d have fun breaking tile,” said shelter resident Justin Gattis, who remodels homes. “I used to do that, but my boss would just get mad.”

The bright tiles are a welcome change from the dining room’s bare walls, Gattis said.

“It adds a nice touch of decor to the place.”

Manager Al Buie said the mosaic will improve the atmosphere of the shelter.

“Color has a way of making things brighter,” Buie said. “Most people who are down and out on their luck need to see brighter colors.”

Erickson used the stories of people at the shelter to help her plan the project’s design.

“I did a series of interviews with directors, half a dozen guests and three volunteers and let it mull around for a while,” Erickson said.

The central image of the mosaic, based on a resident’s suggestion, is a pair of helping hands. A blue border around the design mirrors the blue chairs in the dining room. Erickson then broadened her scope to include the community.

After the town approved the project in 2002 and Erickson as the artist in 2003, the project’s design was displayed in October for public comment at the Chapel Hill Public Library, Town Hall and the community shelter.

Kate Flory, executive administrator for the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission, said the design was well received by the community.

“People wrote things like, ‘Everyone deserves beautiful art in the place where they operate,’” she said.

The community donated the tiles.

“Some of it’s donated from a school in Raleigh that heard about the project,” Erickson said.

The mosaic is being installed in conjunction with renovations to the shelter, Flory said.

The community shelter reopened in September after undergoing renovations funded by the town of Chapel Hill.

About one percent of the renovation project’s budget — $4,500 — is dedicated to art, she said.

Residents appreciate Erickson’s work, Buie said. “They know that there’s somebody who cares.”

 

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.