The President's Art Commission

Mission Statement

The President's Art Commission is a committee of faculty, staff, and students that seeks to enhance the educational and spiritual mission of the College by providing opportunities for campus-wide engagement with the visual arts through a program of acquisition and placement of visual art throughout the campus. 

Vision Statement

Through its work the President's Art Commission aspires to honor Jesus Christ and to celebrate God's gifts of creativity to humankind by providing the community with encounters with the highest quality visual art that reflects the diversity of human experience and the breadth and depth of the Kingdom of God. The Commission aims to inspire, to engender understanding of artistic insight, to promote conversation on the intersections of art and faith, and to encourage interdisciplinary learning through the visual arts. 

Architecture of Prayer maze graphic
The Architecture of Prayer

Curated by Amanda Iglesias '14, his traveling exhibition showcases drawings and travel photography of historic church buildings in dialogue with new projects built between 1999 and the present—contributed by over 20 global and local architecture firms.

Mosaic Whole
The Luminous One

Located in the Billy Graham Center outside of Barrows Auditorium, The Luminous One was designed, developed, and built by students and faculty across campus over the course of two years. The mosaic is a truly communal and liberal arts project that serves as a welcome to all who visit Wheaton College. 

Abrahams Puzzle - Sheesley
Joel Sheesley Collection

In 2017 the President’s Art Commission purchased fifteen paintings from emeritus professor of art Joel Sheesley. These paintings span over thirty years of his career, and together illustrate his artistic journey, his connection to the area, and his commitment to integrate faith and practice.

Heaven and Earth artwork by Joel Sheesley
Heaven and Earth

An exhibit of plein air paintings of the Fox River by Professor Emeritus Joel Sheesley was displayed in the Todd Beamer Center in November 2017 in connection with our Core Book, Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson. Please explore the gallery, read the artist talk, and learn more about the artist. 

Wrestle On, Jacob Exhibit in Blanchard Hall
Wrestle On, Jacob

In 2012 researchers discovered an intriguing group of prints which had been lying unobserved in file drawers for many years in the Billy Graham Center Museum archives. These graphic works depicting African American worship and spiritual life dated from the Civil War up through the mid-20th century. 

Alfonse - Luke
Marj Meade Gallery

Image: Alfonse Borysewicz
Luke Full of Grace
oil and wax collage painting with Riza
2017