Mountain Matriarchs

The "Mountain Matriarchs" mural, designed by Claire Alexandre, with mentorship from Greta McLean of the Community Mural Institute. This work of art celebrates the contributions of women in Burke County, from within the home to community leadership. The mural's design is centered around three women, selected through a community-driven process, who illustrate themes of motherhood, leadership, mentorship, and perseverance. The mural aims to reflect the diverse and rich lives of women in Morganton, capturing their strength, potential, and continuous commitment to community.

Imagery

The imagery in the mural is organized from left to right with an intimate family setting on the left, the three women in the center, and the broader community on the far right.  On the left, key symbols include a young girl studying (representing the future), women multitasking, and traditions such as hair braiding that span generations and cultures. The design, set against a gradient background is set in the early morning.

In the middle, the three central women represent different facets of women’s contributions to the community: civic engagement, small business, and the arts. They embody the broader narrative of women’s leadership in both public and private spheres, from nurturing future generations to advocating for their communities and building creative legacies.

1. Maricela Lopez is the Production Manager and Owner of Opportunity Threads, a thriving worker-owned cooperative in Morganton. Through unwavering resilience and determination, she has overcome tremendous obstacles to establish a flourishing workplace that provides opportunity and care for countless families. Maricela was instrumental in starting a Foundation sponsored by Opportunity Threads, which benefits the families and relatives of her Guatemalan community. leadership, emphasizing the entrepreneurial spirit of women in small business sectors.

2. Nettie McGimpsey McIntosh was an extraordinary educator and community activist. She played a pivotal role in establishing the History Museum of Burke County and was instrumental in preserving and sharing local Black history, notably contributing to the book "Heritage of Burke County." Her legacy of generosity and service continues through her daughter, Willette McIntosh.

3. Molly Mackay is a ceramic artist and the co-owner of West Union Art Studios. Defying the stereotype that artists cannot flourish in small towns, Molly has dedicated herself to creating a vibrant arts community in Burke County. Her tireless efforts, characterized by meticulous care and resourcefulness, have opened doors for countless artists and students of the arts. Through her collaborative spirit, she has created an environment at West Union infused with grace and joy, and continues to bring creativity to the forefront in all her endeavors.

On the right, women are also shown leading community initiatives, creating art, and using their voices to advocate for change. The mural is designed to be viewed from a distance, with bold, large-scale visuals set against a backdrop that transitions from warm reds (symbolizing nurturing and support) to cool blues (evoking expansion and inspiration). The mural is intended to honor women's work across all spheres of life, whether in caregiving roles or as community leaders, emphasizing the importance of valuing all forms of women's labor.

The Artist

Claire Alexandre is an intersectional artist and storyteller who weaves autobiographical reflections with ancestral knowledge while exploring larger themes of environmental, gender and racial justice. She seeks to deepen our collective understanding of Black & Indigenous community prosperity and its close ties with ecologies of all scales. 

Public Input and Design Process 

Central to the engagement process for this mural are the three women featured in the design. To establish who these women were going to be, the steering committee nominated 30+ candidates from the sectors we wanted to focus on: the arts, civic-engaged jobs, and small business. The nominees were asked to submit bios and then the steering committee ranked each candidate based on criteria they developed as a group. After the selection was complete, Claire and Greta conducted interviews with the women (or their family members in the case of Nettie). A public meeting was held in May attended by over 30 women (including those who were nominated and their families). 

In the input meeting, Claire heard recurring themes about the influential roles women play in the community, particularly as mothers, grandmothers, and leaders. Participants emphasized the importance of motherhood, with many citing their mothers or grandmothers as their first introduction to art and inspiration for their own lives. In the present, women were recognized as the backbone of businesses, community leaders, and mentors who create spaces for creativity, healing, and growth. The future-focused conversations centered on how women are shaping the next generation, stressing the need to depict women's multifaceted roles beyond traditional jobs, highlighting their emotional strength, nurturing nature, and perseverance. The artist integrated these ideas into the mural’s design, showing women in various roles—educators, caretakers, leaders, and artists—while ensuring that the mural reflected the breadth of women's contributions across different areas of work and life.

Claire assessed and compiled the input, developed thruline and themes, and developed her design. After several rounds of feedback and adjustments, the mural design was approved by the Steering Committee.

Notes on the Design 

We hope this project will be the first of many that celebrate and honor the Women at Work. One project can not account for all the rich history and all the incredible people who deserve to be honored. This is just a start! As a next step, we would like to encourage women from Burke County to share their story so we can publicly celebrate the variety of people and experiences in our community. You can see an example of how we’ve archived our interviews online, here. Please reach out and we can schedule your interview: kathryn@tosstudio.org

Images

Paint Party

Studio Refinement