RDU Begins Installation of Tile Mural Depicting North Carolina's Natural Environment

RDU Airport, NC – Raleigh-Durham International Airport recently began installation of its first permanent work of art. The tile mural, which is located in the pedestrian tunnel connecting Parking Garage 3 with Terminal A, depicts North Carolina's ecosystems and features scenes from the state's mountain, piedmont and coastal regions.

The mural is the first major project in the airport's Master Plan for Art, which was approved by the Airport Authority in January 2000. The plan identified a theme of "mind-made, hand-made" to reflect the region's strengths in technology, medicine and education, while also showcasing the state's rich fine arts and crafts heritage.

"Our art program is designed to provide our passengers with a pleasant travel environment," said Teresa Damiano, who leads the airport's art program. "The tile mural is not only a beautiful piece of art, but it is also an education on our state's natural environment, the threats to it and the preservation efforts that are underway."

The work consists of six clay murals. Each mural includes a central panel that depicts a view of the landscape in each region, while side panels highlight plant and animal life in these areas. The first mural, depicting the Neuse River Basin, was installed this week. Over the next several weeks, artists will install two more murals featuring scenes from Mt. Mitchell and the Sandhills. Scenes from Pea Island, the Eno River and the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest will be installed by January 2003.

The 2,500 ceramic tiles that make up the mural are hand-made by Seagrove, North Carolina artists Linda Dixon and Drew Krouse of LDDK Studios. The tiles are based upon the work of Burnsville artist Robert Johnson, a painter of the natural environment who researched and painted landscapes for the work.

Johnson conducted research on each scene by visiting the area and painting sketches of it. Research for the Neuse River mural, for instance, included an aerial tour of the river basin. The aerial scene became the format for the mural while side panels highlight the Tupelo tree and a Great Bald Cypress as two species found in forest beds along the Neuse River basin. Dixon and Krouse then created the tiles using Johnson's paintings as a guide. The artists often visited the locations to experience the overall feeling and colors of the landscapes.

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