Painting Smiles in the Arts & Behavior Science Dept.
Stephanie McClaskey
April 8, 2022
In Art 200, Anita Tuccillo, Professor of Art at Illinois Central College (ICC), guides students through the process of turning their passion into a career with a service-learning project. The project allows students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with turning their artistic skills into a profession. The service-learning project begins with establishing the client, agreeing on a design, gathering the supplies to complete the job, followed by finalizing the proper paperwork.
“We offer this so that students can make art into a career path,”
Tuccillo said.
Though Tuccillo allows this project to teach students about the process, it is still a creative learning experience. As motivation, students were asked to compete in a design competition, the winning design is the one to be used during the process. Marissa Overholt, the winner of this semester’s design competition, combines geometry and the bright colors of nature to bring together the design of a sunflower.
Overholt’s design will be displayed in the Arts & Behavior Science (ABS) dept, office to Jill King, ABS Administrative Assistant. The students of Art 200 and Professor Tuccillo wanted to use this project as a way to give back to King’s dedication to the Arts program.
“She just does so much for the arts, we wanted to give back to her,”
Overholt said.
The room where King’s office is located does not have windows and Overholt wanted to use her art design to offer some uplifting and positive vibes to the room with hopes of brightening King’s workdays. King wanted something that brought geometry and nature together, this led to Overholt using shapes to build a sunflower bursting with bright colors to enhance the energy in the space.
The class began the painting portion of their project late last week and looks to finish it this week. ICC students, staff, and visitors can find the mural in room 123 of the academic building on the East Peoria campus. To learn more about the Arts program visit the ICC Academic Catalog or speak with an advisor today.