Macomb native Tanner Woodford’s “BE HERE NOW” billboard is one of five pieces of artwork in “NOW MORE THAN EVER,” on view across Illinois through Oct. 25.
Travelers coming into Macomb this month are greeted by three words in towering black letters on a gold background, “BE HERE NOW.” The billboard, located on the west side of Highway 67 about a mile north of Macomb, faces southbound traffic heading into town. It is the work of Macomb native Tanner Woodford will be on view through Oct. 25.
Macomb is one of five Illinois communities chosen for “NOW MORE THAN EVER,” a public art series supported by a Creative Projects Grant from the Illinois Arts Council. Each board pairs a short, hopeful phrase with a single bold color and tall, condensed lettering made to be read at highway speed. The series is on view in Macomb, Will County, Champaign, Springfield and East Dubuque.
Woodford, who was born and raised in Macomb, went on to found the Design Museum of Chicago, which he led for 14 years. He has painted more than 25 largescale civic murals across Illinois and the Midwest, including “WHAT YOU FEED WILL GROW,” a permanent mural on the north facade of the Western Illinois Museum.
“There’s a Mason Jennings song called ‘Be Here Now’ that I heard in Macomb when I first came home from college,” said Woodford. “When I pulled into town, I could feel myself settle. Chicago is wonderful, and it’s loud. Macomb is where I put my roots and turned everything else off. Twenty years later, those three words still mean home to me. I wanted the board to look like it belongs here, because it does.”
The phrase has traveled a long way to reach the edge of town. Ram Dass made it famous with his 1971 book of the same name, and it has since been taken up by musicians from George Harrison to Mason Jennings.
“Macomb raises people who carry this town with them wherever they go, and every so often one of them brings something back,” said Mayor Mike Inman. “Tanner put three words on our horizon that say exactly what we want every visitor and every resident to feel: slow down, look around, you’re somewhere that matters. I’d love to see people pull over, take a picture, and tell someone why they love this place. And I hope the next young person growing up here sees it and realizes their name could be up there someday.”
Residents and visitors are invited to photograph the board and share it using #BeHereNowMacomb and tagging @TannerWoodford. About Tanner Woodford
Tanner Woodford is a designer, muralist and the founder of Iterative Work, a narrative-driven design studio serving cultural organizations. He is the founder of the Design Museum of Chicago, serves as art director of Newcity, and was appointed to the City of Chicago’s Cultural Advisory Council in 2020.
He holds a BS in Design from Arizona State University. Visit his work at tannerwoodford.com.
Tanner Woodford acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council. More can be found at https://www.tannerwoodford.com/murals/now-more-than-ever-billboards
