Waterfall - University City Station

Waterfall

Waterfall at University City Blvd. station derives from photographs and drawings of Charlotte’s tall trees. I was particularly inspired by the branching structure of trees and the relationship of this structure to patterns of growth and movement found throughout nature. These patterns tend to appear, in one form or another, in man-made structures as well. When viewed in silhouette, leafless tree branches can resemble a city map, rivers and their tributaries, or the circulatory system of any living creature. The circulatory function of tree branching closely relates to the transportation function of the light rail. One system moves nutrients throughout the tree, the other, people throughout the community. Through the connections they create, both systems allow for fluid movement and provide nourishment and coherence. They create a unifying ecology that sustains an organism, an environment, or a community

For Waterfall I overlaid and digitally combined drawings of trees with abstract areas of color. My goal was to transform the tree drawings into something more abstract and evocative while still maintaining a reference to the original tree forms. The fluidity of the image I created by intersecting trees and color makes me think of a waterfall; the way the image fades out on the edges is like the soft spray at the fall’s periphery. There is an underlying structure in this waterfall, but the overall image invites imagination. Its strong sense of movement suggests the many positive changes and transformations that await the community. Waterfall is a wholly optimistic artwork. My hope is that it will make the community smile.

— Susan Brenner

Owner: Charlotte Area Transit System