A new mural titled “Renaissance Rising” has been installed on the fifth floor of Columbia College Chicago’s Student Center, marking a collaboration between students and faculty as part of the college’s ongoing strategic planning initiative. The project was carried out in a mural painting course led by Cheri Charlton, assistant professor in the School of Visual Arts.
The mural was created over the semester through a process that involved conceptualization, design, and execution by students enrolled in Charlton’s class. The work is intended to reflect themes of renewal, resilience, and creative innovation, aligning with President Shantay N. Bolton’s three-year strategic plan for the institution.
Charlton emphasized the practical aspects of the course: “This is truly one of my favorite classes to teach,” she said. “I get to bring my own professional experience into the studio and help students build both the technical skills and business knowledge essential for working as professional painters and muralists.”
Her approach incorporates elements from her own career as a muralist, including proposal writing, client communication, budgeting materials, and job site safety. Many of these skills are drawn from projects Charlton has completed in Chicago.
Collaboration was central to the project. Students were required to balance individual artistic ideas with collective goals for the mural. Valerie Cheng, a senior BFA Illustration major who participated in creating the piece, described this process: She noted that developing a unified concept among diverse perspectives was challenging but meaningful. The group repeatedly revised their ideas before settling on a final design.
As they worked together, personal symbolism became important in shaping the mural’s imagery. The inclusion of flowers was particularly significant to Cheng: “The flowers symbolize us as artists growing and evolving simultaneously with the college, while being a part of the wonderful Columbia community,” she said.
Cheng also incorporated cultural elements into her contribution: “To see my work permanently installed in the Student Center means the utmost to me,” she said. As a first-generation Cambodian-Chinese American student, she included romdoul—the national flower of Cambodia—in her portion of the mural. “My goal as an illustrator is to create the Cambodian-Chinese representation I rarely saw growing up.”
The completed mural now occupies a prominent place where many students gather each week and is intended to serve as both an expression of institutional renewal and an example of student involvement at Columbia College Chicago.
“This is truly one of my favorite classes to teach,” Charlton said. “I get to bring my own professional experience into the studio and help students build both the technical skills and business knowledge essential for working as professional painters and muralists.”
“The flowers symbolize us as artists growing and evolving simultaneously with the college, while being a part of the wonderful Columbia community,” Cheng said.
“To see my work permanently installed in the Student Center means the utmost to me,” Cheng said. “My goal as an illustrator is to create the Cambodian-Chinese representation I rarely saw growing up.”
