“Connected, Always” for Hotel Indigo Raleigh
HOTEL INDIGO - RALEIGH, NC
A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Raleigh’s Hotel Indigo commission “Connected, Always”
Completed pieces of Connected, Always for Hotel Indigo’s Raleigh location
2026 has brought about some very exciting projects for me.
This commission in particular was one of them.
Usually when I’m hired for a commission, it’s for artwork that gets sent far away. Don’t get me wrong– I LOVE that I get to make work that finds their homes all over the world. But it can be jarring to spend a lot of time with a piece and, once I put it in the mail … crickets. I don’t get to see where they end up.
I was beyond thrilled to 1) get hired by Hotel Indigo (again!) and 2) to make a piece that was going to end up right in my backyard!
I was commissioned to create a large-scale artwork (spanning across 14 feet, whoah!) to be installed behind the reception desk of the newly renovated Hotel Indigo in Raleigh, NC. I’ve had the pleasure of creating work for Hotel Indigo’s Asheville, NC location in the past and was honored to be chosen to make work for them once again in a space much closer to home!
This is a dream realized for me. I desire to make larger-scale work that lives in more public-facing spaces and this project gave me the opportunity to do just that.
Connected, Always, 2026, detail
The Concept:
The focus of this project was on a sense of place, with special attention to the natural landscape of North Carolina’s Piedmont area. With that in mind, I wanted to highlight not only Raleigh, but the surrounding area of The Triangle as well.
If you’re local to the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area of North Carolina (also known as The Triangle), you understand that this area is quite unique. The Triangle is a cluster of small cities that blend into each other, and yet they all have their own individual identities, offerings, and opportunities for exploration and inspiration.
Inspired by the rare gem that is the Triangle, I created Connected, Always, a 3-piece artwork celebrating the sense of connection that this area can offer.
Katie Hatfield working on Connected, Always
Connected, Always in progress
Connected, Always in progress
I was given the freedom to create an asymmetrical artwork and was encouraged to stick with my gestural, organic shapes to lead the way in juxtaposing textures and palette. A blue, thread-like line-- representing the Neuse River that connects most of the Piedmont of North Carolina-- runs through the three artworks, bringing further movement across the pieces.
And it wouldn’t be a Katie Hatfield original if it didn’t include my lil’ “noodles.”
At the very forefront of the pieces are a curving line of golden “noodles,” expressing a greater sense of connection between the artworks as well as celebrating the connection of The Triangle area as a whole.
Huge, huge thanks to Hotel Indigo for choosing me and Nine Dot Arts for making the process so seamless.
Hotel Indigo Raleigh is slated to open October 2026 and this post will be updated with images of the artwork in its forever home.
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