Colorado State University-Pueblo Library has new art installations through AIPP

PUEBLO – The Library and Academic Resources Center (LARC) at Colorado State University-Pueblo has two new pieces of artwork thanks to the required Art in Public Places (AIPP) statute for state-funded buildings. Wise Bear by Tony Pachak and Unity in Diversity by Lynn Chapman were selected through a project jury process administered for the State through Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) from applications submitted by local artists.

The two paintings, installed on the second floored of LARC, were purchased with funds associated with the renovation of CSU-Pueblo's Modular Data Center. Due to the nature of that building and the budget, the committee elected to purchase existing artworks from Pueblo-based artists and hang those works in a location accessible to the public. Permanent plaques recognizing the artists’ contributions and the AIPP program also will be installed near the paintings.

Owner of A-P Studios in Pueblo, Pachak notes that when he paints wildlife, he nearly always paints from photographs he takes himself, which means there’s a story behind every image. The Wise Bear photograph was taken at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in March of 2015 as the bear was soaking up sun on a large boulder after a swim.  The picture was painted in February of 2016 and framed with a La Paz frame from Randy Higby Gallery. Since its creation, the painting has been shown in two shows, where it was the highlight of each show. A painter by trade, he prefers oil paints on linen canvas with wildlife found in Colorado (bobcats, bears, deer, coyote, horses, mountain lions, and elk) as his most frequent subjects.

Chapman is a self-taught artist, who has led courses both at Colorado Mountain College and the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center. In her previous career as a psychiatric occupational therapist, she wrote an award-winning article on the Art of Art Therapy as a tool for emotional healing. Her favorite medium is pastel because of its versatility, pure colors and ability to convey softness, light, and the spiritual aspects of mankind and nature. She said she is inspired by walking at the Nature Center and decided to paint horses as pictured. 

“The title Unity in Adversity represents a timely topic in today’s society, and I hope to inspire thought and unity in the viewers,” Chapman said.

About Colorado Creative Industries' Art in Public Places Program

The Art in Public Places program was established by the Colorado Legislature in 1977 to create enjoyment and pride for citizens of the state. Colorado’s public art statute requires an allocation

of one-percent of capital construction funds for new or renovated state buildings to be set aside for the acquisition of works of art at the project site. Works of art purchased through this program are located in publicly accessible spaces inside and outside of state buildings, such as armories, state patrol offices, state office buildings and university campuses. These “percent for art” acquisitions form the state art collection and are developed and administered by Colorado Creative Industries. The works selected through this program represent great diversity in style, imagery, materials and techniques. By uniting artists, architecture, and host institutions, the AIPP program integrates the art experience into the built environment and civic spaces.