Nanny and the Girls

Four years ago, we featured Nanny Foster in her fabulous College Park/West End Place garden, here. Nanny's knowledge of flowers, gardening, and what local nurseries have to offer just may be unparalleled in Greensboro. Today, we are highlighting the three mosaic statues that adorn her front driveway. These life-size mosaic sculptures are the work of accomplished, Chatham County mosaic artist LaNelle Davis.* Each of LaNelle's sculptures tells a story, representing strong, hardworking women of the south. She wants her sculptures to exude dignity whether the sculpture is waiting for the bus or already at work, somewhere like a mill.

Nanny first saw the sculptures about twenty years ago in a nursery in Hillsboro. She purchased them one at a time, not actually planning to have all three. But, with the owners of the nursery moving to Mexico to work on a permaculture farm, Nanny just couldn't leave the ladies behind. They weigh about 600 pounds each and if you talk to Nanny, she will have you laughing about each one's journey to her house and the movers who worked to secure them into place. 

As Nanny spends so much of her day working in her glorious yard, she has her three ladies to brighten her day. It is so wonderful to to see Nanny working outside, diligently supervised by this trio. 

*read more about LaNelle and her great mosaic work, here.

Comments

[Katja Brown]

I've said it before but I will say it again Janis: You are a real treasure trove of information. Thank you so much for your daily snippets of what's going on in Greensboro. I especially enjoyed today's feature of "Nanny and the Girls!"

[susan johnston]

I frequently include this fabulous garden on my walks. Last week I took at least 30 pictures of this one small space! Thanks for giving me the name of this master gardener, and I hope I get to catch her outside someday. The mosaics are so whimsical. It reminds me of being in Barcelona where mosaic art is raised to a high art.

[William Kendall]

Very creative.

[Janis]

Katja, Susan, and William. Thank you so much for your comments. Nanny is an amazing person. I hope you get to meet her, Susan. Katja, you are such a beacon of positivity. William. You haven't given up on commenting even though I can't figure out the password to my gmail account.