“Tamika Catchings is a magnetic personality and an amazing force for good to those around her and in her community,” said Baranowski. “She is not just a legendary basketball player, but also an entrepreneur, activist, broadcaster, volunteer, mentor, and motivational speaker. I wanted my design to reflect this high-energy force surrounding her.”
The selection committee shared that Baranowski was selected because his concept best captured Tamika Catchings’ sunny and joyful personality, along with both her basketball legacy and her current contributions to Indianapolis. Catchings herself added that “Nate’s artwork highlights my entire career from basketball to giving back through the Catch the Stars Foundation.”
Nate Baranowski’s original concept and rendering mock-up. This is not the final design.
An international call for interested artists was conducted in late 2024, and four finalists were selected in February to create concept designs. The finalists had the opportunity to speak with Catchings and learn more about her so they could express her personality and legacy in their designs. A public input survey was conducted April 3-13 to gather community feedback on the four finalists’ designs. The mural was commissioned to coincide with Indianapolis’ hosting of the AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025, July 18-19, and is expected to be completed in time for the event.
The mural is being created courtesy of a grant from the Capital Improvement Board of Managers of Marion County. It will be displayed on a residential building owned by Buckingham Companies, at the intersection of Massachusetts Ave., New Jersey St., and Michigan St. and adjacent to the existing Etheridge Knight mural. Indy Arts Council will own and maintain the mural, which is anticipated to remain in place at least 15 years. The site preparation and mural painting is set to begin in mid-June.
Indy Arts Council and the WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee announced today that Nate Baranowski of South Bend, Indiana was selected to create a new portrait mural in the Mass Ave neighborhood this summer, featuring WNBA superstar, Naismith Hall Of Fame inductee, and local icon Tamika Catchings. Baranowski was one of four finalists and one of 98 artists who submitted applications in response to an international call.