Hidden Sculptures Turn Plaza Shamrock Into a Neighborhood-Wide “I Spy” Art Hunt
To celebrate, the neighborhood will host a "Shamrock I Spy Art Launch Party" this Saturday, inviting residents and visitors alike to walk the neighborhood and discover the sculptures.
Thanks to a Neighborhood Matching Grant from the City of Charlotte, the Plaza Shamrock Neighborhood Association brings a unique public art project to life. Shamrock I Spy is a neighborhood-wide sculpture trail featuring 14 handmade critters created by Charlotte artist and Plaza Shamrock neighbor Nico Amortegui.
The idea began with a small group of neighbors who wanted to bring public art to the community. But Plaza Shamrock, with more than 1,000 homes, doesn’t have a central park or gathering space where a single sculpture could live. Instead, neighbors got creative: they decided to create multiple small sculptures and spread them throughout the neighborhood, hosted in front yards of residents.
Colorful birds, cats, turtles, and other whimsical creatures are tucked into yards and hanging from trees across Plaza Shamrock. Each sculpture has its own personality, turning an ordinary walk into a neighborhood-wide scavenger hunt.
To celebrate, the neighborhood will host a Shamrock I Spy Art Launch Party this Saturday, inviting residents and visitors alike to walk the neighborhood and discover the sculptures.
Amortegui’s primitivist, symbolistic neo-expressionism has been visible in Charlotte’s public spaces for years, most notably decorating exterior and interior spaces at NoDa’s Salud Cervezeria.
It’s a reminder that even a small neighborhood organization, powered by a handful of volunteers and support from grants, can create public art for everyone to enjoy.
Some may consider it cheating, but you can find a map of all of the critters here.