Public art by local artist Rachel Dickey will add to the beauty of the planned Irwin Creek Greenway in Charlotte.

Dickey has been commissioned to create artwork for the Mecklenburg County-funded project, which will be backdropped by the “nature integrity” of RibbonWalk Nature Preserve and bookended by Nevin Park at Statesville Road and Allen Hills Park at Cheviot Road.

The public artwork is expected to be completed in late 2024. Dickey will work with residents and community stakeholders to create an impactful artwork that enhances the experience of being out in nature and celebrates key natural and cultural resources of the area.

“Public Art is extremely compelling when it becomes a natural part of our everyday lives. This artwork will engage park visitors on any given day or time – people of all ages, folks walking the greenway trail, and even those engaged in other recreational activities,” said ASC Public Art Program Director Randella Foster.

ASC, which manages the public art programs for Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte, will introduce the artist to the community at a Community Engagement Workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at Nevin Community Park (6000 Statesville Rd., Charlotte). Dickey will provide an overview of her experience and past projects and lead participants through a design workshop to inspire the artwork she will create for the greenway. RSVP by Wednesday, Dec. 8, requested.   

Dickey, based in Charlotte, is the founding principal of the public art and design office Studio Dickey and is associate professor of architecture at UNC Charlotte. Works by her design office have been on view at institutions across the country, including Atlanta’s Promenade Building Plaza, the Museum of Design Atlanta, Des Cours in New Orleans and the Arts at Harvard Gallery. Her public projects in the Charlotte-region include work for the “I Heart Rail Trail” in Charlotte’s South End and artwork for the Bleachery Heritage Project in Rock Hill, S.C.