Artwork can make a space shine, and thanks to a commissioned piece from artist Sheryl Nieman, the renovated Spoon River College Macomb campus has a showstopping piece, titled “A World of Possibilities, just inside the entrance to the newly-opened campus.
Through the State of Illinois’ Capital Development Board’s Art-in-Architecture program, art pieces are procured for new build public projects. According to Nieman, artists submit their portfolio and letter of intent to projects they interested in, and a committee narrows the submissions down to three artists who then complete a more detailed proposal for the budget given them. SRC President Curt Oldfield and the building’s architect were part of the committee that selected the artist.
“I chose to create a piece of decorative art to hang on the north wall of the entryway, with intention of engaging and drawing a person into the community. To accentuate the atrium feeling of the room, I decided to use a stainedglass window effect for the visual style of the piece,” Nieman explained. “The lines, or ‘leading,’ of this style helps create movement, while the actual window frame adds form for balance and structure.”
“I selected a landscape subject matter as a way to symbolize the timeless theme of inspiring a world of possibilities, a beautiful future using one’s education to make a difference,” she added. “Though an abstract, the space is proportioned to looking out a window.”
The color palette she used was intended to create a comfortable, welcoming feeling into the space, while unifying the decorative aspects of the room. Nieman said it was her aim was to use value as a way to infuse light into the piece similar to an actual stained-glass window, while also creating a little element of surprise through pops of color for acrylic latex on canvas, which measures 10 feet x 20 feet.
“Sheryl provided beautiful art that is the focal point of the main entrance into the Macomb campus. This art is warm and welcoming and encourages all who view it to think about the world of possibilities,” Oldfield added. “We appreciate Sheryl’s vision and her partnership with the Art in Architecture Program from the Capital Development Board to bring such a wonderful work of art to our community.”
Nieman began painting when she was 12 years old, entering into shows and selling her work. Over the years, her paintings grew in size as she was studying to be a set designer and scenic in college. Her works have been in juried shows, outdoor fairs, galleries, residences and businesses around the world. In addition, her drawing and drafting skills, coupled with construction and painting, were used in live theater, photo studios, video/television studios and residence and commercial space remodels. Nieman has worked as an been an art instructor for ages K-12 in Chicago, Washington D.C, Phoenix AZ and Switzerland. Currently, she is focusing on her commissioned painting business doing large canvases and murals. The SRC “World of Possibilities” piece is her first commissioned work for a college/university.
“I am very happy that “A World of Possibilities” has a very nice home to live in and I thank SRC for that,” Nieman said. “Being an artist is like going on a journey through different lands and taking in the beauty of each as I visit. Remembering that as a commissioned artist you are going to other people’s favorite places as well, so the image album in my mind is large and wonderful.”
After a yearlong renovation
and construction project, Spoon River College’s new Macomb campus opened for the first day of classes Aug. 25. The building has been retrofitted with new windows, floors and doors, skylights, plumbing, electricity and upgraded technology, along with several other features. In addition to classrooms, labs and simulation suites for career programs – including contemporary programs in heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC) and industrial maintenance that includes robotics repair – the 66,000-square-foot space features administrative and faculty offices, and student support services. The center of the renovated space is what the college is calling a town square, which architects from Hastings and Chivetta have modeled around the Macomb Courthouse Square. The “middle” of the campus is the Student Success Center, with other offices, classrooms, labs and departments surrounding the “square.”
The overall cost of the project on East Jackson was $17.2 million ($6.2 million from Gov. Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois; $10 million SRC bond funds, and $1 million of Congressional funds to support the expansion of rural health care secured by Sen. Dick Durbin to support expansion of rural health care).
Since 1983, Spoon River College (SRC), with its main campus located in Canton, has called the old “Macomb High” home. Prior to the Johnson Street campus, the first SRC-Macomb branch campus was located downtown 10 years prior after voters of the Macomb-Adair-Bardolph Common School Districts approving joining the SRC district. SRC serves approximately 1,200 students between its Macomb and Canton campuses. Nearly 300 students attend the branch campus in Macomb. The Johnson Street campus is currently listed at $695,000 through Century 21 Purdum-Epperson, Inc.
