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.

In early 2024, I received exciting news that my work had been selected for consideration in a public art opportunity at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The project was tied to the renovation of the Hellems Arts & Sciences Building, originally constructed in 1921 by architect Charles Z. Klauder in the Tuscan Vernacular style. This was the first building on campus designed in this distinctive style, characterized by the use of native pink sandstone, limestone, black metal accents, and red terra cotta tile roofs. The current renovation aims to reimagine the interior, creating an inclusive and open environment for students that will endure for the next 100 years.

A portion of the construction budget was allocated for public art, and the university issued a national call for artists to submit their portfolios. From this, a review committee selected about 10 finalists. I was thrilled to learn that I was among them, and I had roughly a month to develop a concept and prepare a presentation.

In February, I flew to Boulder to present my design to the review committee. At the heart of the renovation, this historical building was being transformed to meet the needs of contemporary users, while also considering the next century of student life. The architectural style of the Hellems building has greatly influenced the overall aesthetic of the campus, and I was particularly captivated by the exterior’s stunning stonework. After my presentation, I flew home with no clear sense of how my proposal had been received.

A few weeks later, I was notified that I had been awarded the project, along with my two preferred installation locations: a long aisle on both the second and third floors. The building is slated to reopen in January 2026, with my artwork to be installed by late 2025.

What was my winning concept? I’ll reveal that in my next blog post.