Central Piedmont Mural of History
In the spring of 2022, Central Piedmont Community College selected two local artists, Rosalia Torres-Weiner and Felicia Sky Sutton, to create a large-scale mural honoring the past history of the college, documenting the present, and reflecting the aspirations of Central Piedmont students for the future.
Mural of History
The Central Piedmont Mural of History spans 13’ x 98’ on the first floor of the 184,000-square-foot Parr Center. Its placement benefits from the nearby dining space, which is flooded with natural light thanks to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlook the Charlotte city skyline. The mural demonstrates the college’s commitment to the fine arts and its support for the creative culture of its surrounding community.
The mural illustrates the history of the college in three compositional layers. A historical layer on the bottom in muted tones represents the College’s early years. A colorful, middle layer highlights student stories and tells the story of the advancement of educational programs and Central Piedmont’s expansion to multiple area campuses. The equally colorful top layer, purposely left abstract, represents the future of the College and all its possibilities.
Visitors to the mural will enjoy the added element of augmented reality (AR) built into the murals metadata. The RedCalacAR app, available for IOS and Android devices, allows the viewer interact with the mural through the power of technology. The AR design provides the viewer with the opportunity to enjoy various animations, listen to student stories, songs and poetry and learn more about the history of Central Piedmont.
Torres-Weiner and Sutton are both former Central Piedmont students, and were chosen from a highly skilled pool of applicants to work collaboratively with current students, faculty, and staff to create an interactive mural. The mural covers a large wall in the dining area of the Parr Center on Central Campus. The Parr Center serves as the student services hub and includes a new campus library, a 450-seat theater, a rooftop terrace, a 1,100- square-foot art gallery, and a makerspace for students to explore careers and creativity.
Check out the following video
Location
Wilton and Mary Parr Center, Floor 1 Dining Area
Central Campus, Central Piedmont Community College