The renovation of the Heller’s building is a significant transformation, with its entire interior redesigned to better serve modern needs for education, study, and communication. While the inside has been completely remodeled, architects have preserved the century-old exterior, honoring its historical significance and influence on the surrounding campus buildings. In fact, the building’s stone facade served as the foundation for my winning concept.

I’ve always been the kind of person who can’t resist picking up an interesting rock. I usually have one in my pocket, and my home is filled with them—lots of them. Naturally, the stonework on the Heller’s building immediately caught my eye, not just for its beautiful composition but for its texture and color. As I developed my proposal, the university provided architectural renderings of the new interior. The renovation wasn’t about structural change but rather about enhancing the experience of those who walk through its doors. As I studied the plans, I realized that, once completed, the building would have no visual representation of the people who inhabit it. My concept was designed to change that.

Inspired by the irregular horizontal pattern of the exterior stonework, I proposed creating a gallery of abstract figurative portraits—depicting the very people who bring life to Heller’s building. Students, professors, and administrators who frequent its halls will be the subjects of these paintings, which will line a 20-foot aisle. A large cornerstone painting will serve as a conceptual nod to the language arts majors housed within the building. While each painting will be a distinct portrait—featuring individuals or groups—they will be visually unified through color and pattern, creating a cohesive installation.

During my presentation, I told the committee that I believe public art should belong to the people. My hope is that these paintings will spark curiosity and conversation—students and faculty debating whether a particular portrait is “Sally from Lit 1” or “Professor Smith from French class.” To keep the gallery dynamic, I proposed regularly rotating the paintings, even replacing a certain percentage every few years. I didn’t want the artwork installed in 2025 to still be hanging in the exact same spot in 2125.

The committee clearly embraced my vision, and now I find myself in the midst of creating over 100 paintings for installation before the year’s end. In my next blog post, I’ll share a behind-the-scenes look at my workspace (which required clearing an entire room in my house!) and my process for tackling a project of this scale.