Sep 8, 2020
Walls for Women in Maryville: Meet Nicole Salgar's Mural, Senderos
Murals have become a growing trend in East Tennessee, and for good reason. Public art brings communities together by creating vibrant neighborhoods people take pride in and work to keep beautiful. It draws people into conversation, creating opportunities to share ideas and experiences. Earlier this year, DMA-events, Inc. chose Maryville to be one of seven cities to participate in Walls for Women as a celebration of the 19th Amendment centennial and Tennessee’s place in that history.
BEFORE: Bike ‘N Tri in Downtown Maryville prior to the mural
AFTER: Bike ‘N Tri in Downtown Maryville now
Walls for Women Inspiration
DMA seeks to educate through art and capture the creative spirit of a community via artistic vision. By promoting public art and the artists who create these installations, the nonprofit aims to bring beauty and new voices into the world. Tennessee’s part in ratifying the 19th Amendment and 100 years of women’s suffrage inspired the Walls for Women project. DMA co-founder Kristin Luna states: “Like nearly every profession, a gender gap exists in the art world. Women muralists are not afforded the same opportunities as their male counterparts. Tennessee’s street art scene is predominantly male, despite there being hundreds of female muralists every bit as talented. To commemorate 100 years of women having federally- recognized voting rights, we want to give female artists the chance to create and leave a piece of history behind.”
The Artist
The Walls for Women artist chosen for Maryville is Nicole Salgar, a visual artist of Latina descent. She traveled from Miami with her partner Chuck Berrett, with whom she has been working for more than a decade. Nicole’s passion for learning about different cultures has led her to travel around the world; she has worked with local communities in Cuba, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. Her travels have allowed her to develop her instinctual self-expression through her art.
When asked about her craft, she says, “art and design are both something I see as a powerful, transformative force which can elevate the practitioners, the people, and their communities.”
Her company, NS/CB, began in NYC in the street realm, but they quickly evolved through their travel and experience. They soon expanded their skillset into high-end interior design, fine art, traditional illustration, fabrication, and installation through various mediums. They have residential clients and commercial clientele, from Fortune 500 companies, small business owners, and non-profit organizations. Their mission is to create an irreplaceable piece unique to living spaces, work environments, and public locations.
“Senderos,” the Mural
Nicole calls her mural “Senderos,” meaning trails or paths; it stretches 35 feet high and 100 feet wide and took over 100 hours to complete. It is located on the Bike ‘N Tri building on Broadway Avenue and is one of the largest walls Nicole has painted to date.
When asked to describe Senderos, Nicole explained:
“The woman in this mural is meant to portray a gatekeeper to other dimensions or realities. Her existence is one that flows through time without boundaries. The lock and key connect to gateways or portals into the unknown. They can also be interpreted as a way to unlock the hidden self. An archway showcasing an upward stairway sits at the center of her chest, while a hand enters the frame holding the key. I intentionally set the woman in a range of misty mountains to reflect Maryville’s location in the foothills of the beautiful Smoky Mountains. I wanted to capture the environment as if it was twilight when everything seems to be covered in a soft illuminating glow. Ultimately, this mural is a culmination of the maternal and feminine spirit of all things, being tied together through reality, dreams, space, and time. Boundless energy which makes up the entire universe.”
