It’s a popular spot. Passersby the Monon Trail near Midtown stop and take selfies in front of the glistening, brightly colored, seven-foot-wide butterfly wings that seem ready to take flight.
A kaleidoscope of colors, shapes and sizes, the thousands of tiny pieces of glass represent the diversity of residents from all over the area.
Like the butterfly, its designer, Carmel glass mosaic artist Nancy Keating, has spread her arms wide in generosity, sharing her art with the community.
“The Carmel Selfie Butterfly” is just one example of an annual tradition Keating calls the Chip In Community Mosaic projects. For the past ten years, she has drawn and painted elaborate designs, then prepared the surfaces and thousands of pieces of glass. At specified events in the Carmel Arts & Design District, anyone could stop by Keating’s tables to “chip in” to the colorful works of art.
“Some people drop by for five minutes and place a few pieces,” Keating says. “Others stay for 45 minutes completing entire sections.”
For the first few years, pieces were auctioned off at former Mayor Jim Brainard’s annual gala to support the Carmel Youth Assistance Program. For the last several years, the creations, representing hundreds of hours from planning to completion, have been installed as public art throughout the city. In addition to the butterfly on the Monon Trail, “Cityscape” and “Roundabout” grace Sophia Square Courtyard on Main Street.
A former French teacher with a lifelong love for art, Keating found herself drawn to the patterns and luminosity as well as the tactile feel of glass-on-glass mosaics.
“My intention is to bring some joy, to make someone smile,” Keating says. “I call my work fun art, not fine art.”
Many would argue that Keating’s inspired creations are, indeed, fine art. Just take a look at the two multi-storied mosaics installed in the Civic Square Parking Garage at 50 Red Truck Road. Named “Cosmic Flow I and II,” the mosaics total a breathtaking 440 square feet. Shimmering reds and blues flow in a continuous ribbon representing the infinite energy in the universe.
Laticrete, a construction solutions company that manufactures innovative, sustainable construction products describes “Cosmic Flow” as not merely a piece of public art but “a testament to the transformative power of creative vision.”
“It has been a pleasure incorporating Nancy’s work throughout Carmel’s walkable downtown,” says Henry Mestetsky, executive director of the Carmel Redevelopment Commission.
A lifelong Hoosier and longtime Carmel resident, Keating is making her mark on the artistic fabric of the city. With years of practice and training evident in her body of work, she spends her days in her Carmel art studio, creating and teaching classes. Her artwork can be found at both Art on Main and at Indiana Artisans in the Carmel Arts & Design District. For class and commission information, visit her website at mosaicsgarden.com.
Visit Nancy Keating’s Public Art in Carmel
“The Carmel Selfie Butterfly”
Monon Trail at Midtown
600 Monon Boulevard
“Roundabout” and “Cityscape”
Sophia Square Courtyard
110 W. Main St.
“Cosmic Flow I and II”
Civic Square Parking Garage
50 Red Truck Rd.