In addition to the enhancements made to Manning Hall this summer, which included new paint throughout the building, new carpeting and new, more comfortable furniture, artist Megan McLeod Brown lent her talents to SILS—covering previously blank Manning Hall walls with her beautiful artwork. A 15’ by 4’ mural has been painted by Brown in the SILS library that highlights the many intellectual and cultural facets of the school.
When asked about her process for painting murals, Brown said the first step is to interview the client and determine the client’s needs. In the case of SILS, Dean Gary Marchionini wanted Brown’s artwork to aesthetically represent the evolution of information over time and much of the exciting work currently taking place at SILS. This led Brown to paint a mural in the SILS Library that includes images of books, computers, e-readers, scrolls and other information and library science related ephemera alongside discipline-specific words such as “information,” “knowledge,” “preservation” and “data.” The finished product is meant to articulate symbolically what it means to be member of the SILS community.
In addition to painting the mural in the SILS Library, Brown was also commissioned to paint two other pieces of artwork currently on display in the Manning Hall lobby.
As soon as you step through Manning’s main doors, look up and to the left or to the right to see the vibrant color paintings of cardinals on display. These works of art help to bring color and beauty to what were previously bare, light pink walls.
Brown’s art is a welcome addition to the Manning Hall building environment, which has undergone a significant number of renovations designed to improve the working and learning spaces of SILS students, faculty, and staff.
About the Artist
A graphic designer and studio artist based out of Greensboro, Megan McLeod Brown does freelance work throughout North Carolina, painting portraits and murals in addition to working on graphic design projects.
Growing up in Campobello, South Carolina, she was always encouraged to explore her creative side. She became interested in painting and other forms of artwork as a child, in part, because her father was an artist. Her two favorite mediums are acrylics, which she uses for murals and oil paints, which she uses for portraits. Brown holds a degree in Studio Art, with a focus in Graphic Design, from the University of South Carolina. To see another mural painted by Brown, stop by the Daily Grind, where more of her work is on display. For more about the artist, visit her Web site at: http://librarymurals.com
Megan McLeod Brown painting her mural commissioned by the UNC School of Information and Library Science
