Two years under the cloud of Covid and something beautiful has emerged. CNM President Tracy Hartzler along with members of the CNM Art Department cut the ribbon on their new facilities within KC Hall on Friday night. After several weeks of preparation and installation the art faculty welcomed the public into their new space, and they delighted visitors with an exhibition of work created by the Art Department’s faculty and staff.
Throughout the KC project, the design team worked to imagine a space that would hold the creative spirit of the inhabitants; not contain it, not constrain it; but hold it. We thought about flexibility and expansion; clutter and serendipity; stuff and storage; production and presentation; inspiration and meditation. We thought about the Art Department with its varied personalities and extensive needs. Completing a specialized building always has complexities; working within an existing structure comes with more complexities; and designing, producing, and constructing during Covid brings complexities that no one imagined. The resulting product is a testament to the chemistry of the entire team and the support of CNM.
So, thank you, to CNM leadership for having bold visions, to Marie Shaver-Holloway for steering the project, to Lynn Johnson, Cheryl Dietz and the entire Art faculty and staff for being patient and dedicated, to EEA, Smith Engineering, and MRWM for their strong teamwork and presence, to Franken Construction for being easy and professional to work with, and to Maia Mullen for the fantastic finishing furniture touches.
– Jackie Bryan, AIA, WELL AP
Project Manager, CNM Art / KC Building Renovation
