Council picks five artist designs for Morrisville’s ICON butterfly installations

Council members reviewed work samples from ten local and regional artists and completed a weighted ranking to select five unique butterfly designs for the ICON initiative.

Planning Manager Brittney Johnson walked the council through each finalist’s work samples, noting that the submissions were prioritized by the Parks & Rec advisory committee and that the top three designs had been tied in earlier reviews. Johnson explained the selection process: each councilmember received five numbered stickers and ranked designs from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). After tabulation, staff read the results aloud: the announced top-five names (as read by staff) included Tim Potter Agarwal, Kelsey Ferrara, Mayanthi, Hassani, and Molly, with another design named as the alternate. Council members discussed whether artists who previously completed murals at town facilities were eligible to resubmit; staff said the application did not preclude resubmissions but that the council could consider changing that rule on future calls for art.

Council members also discussed practical installation questions — whether the pieces are three-dimensional and viewable from all sides, weight and durability (staff said the figures weigh about 50–60 pounds and are designed to be durable and bolted to pads), and options for a mobile icon for special events. Staff said the selected designs will proceed to fabrication and that staff will return with site-preparation details and a proposed installation schedule.