Catawba Ways
Catawba Ways
Artist: Janelle Lane Stanley
Location: East Mezzanine Skybridge
Catawba Ways highlights the Catawba River, which runs through Charlotte, and the Catawba Indian Nation, also called Ye Iswa, or People of the River, who lived on their ancestral lands along the banks of the Catawba River dating back 6000 years. The terrazzo design honors the traditional pottery of the Catawba Indian Nation, created with the clay from the banks of the river runoffs.
Transcription
The Catawba Nation community has been here for thousands of years, and I wanted to highlight that. I want people to stop and say, "That's from this area." I want people to know the importance of it. The name of this piece is "Catawba Ways." To be able to render a 2D artwork into terrazzo is amazing—it shows a visual representation of native and community members. The images I selected include larger pots, Indian head handles, the pattern of etching, and the aluminum stripping. The blue was chosen to complement the same color as the Catawba River, which ties this community together. I wanted to highlight the culture that has been here for thousands of years.