Colleen Grzywacz Installation Site

Creator

Julia DeCamp, Ursinus College

Preview

Creation Date

Spring 2025

Description

Digital photograph of the exterior of the Innovation & Discovery Center building on the Ursinus College campus. Student photographs of staff, such as Colleen Grzywacz, were created for a documentary photography class and temporarily installed around campus as part of the Spring 2025 COSA celebration.

Panel Text

I met Colleen Grzywacz to take her photo on a warm, sunny day, the first in a long time with the approach of spring. Immediately upon entering the backyard, I was met by excited dogs, a cozy wood-burning fire, and a trickling koi pond by the patio. Lady, a white and liver colored Brittany Spaniel, was wading in the pond while Colleen’s grandchildren played field hockey on the grass behind the garden. It looked like something out of a movie. It just happened that today Colleen’s two children, now ages 32 and 35, came over, bringing Colleen’s three grandchildren along to enjoy a sunny Saturday at Grandma's house.

Colleen is the administrative assistant for MCS, Art & Art History, and Film Studies. From her office in Ritter, she keeps the art department supplied while helping faculty, staff, and students with anything they need. As the sole person behind how cameras get charged, how pencil boxes stay stocked, and how dried-out paint becomes new, Colleen is the heart of the department. She also loves what she does, as she mentions: “It's the versatility with everything, I think. And the faculty and students. I’m always doing something new and different. Putting out ‘fires’ a lot.” Colleen is the person everyone relies on, and the art department could not be a better fit, she says. She's extremely creative, favoring T-shirt quilt making and crafting among other hobbies.

Outside of her role at Ritter, Colleen’s life is just as interesting. Her love for her family is evident in everything she does for them. Her oldest daughter is the mother of three children and the wife of a husband who often works Saturdays, so Colleen has embraced the role of a dedicated chauffeur. Recently, she took on the role of "basketball mom" for her grandson, whose season just concluded—a duty she thoroughly enjoyed. Her youngest grandson is a wrestler, though Colleen admits wrestling isn’t her favorite sport, while her granddaughter shows her talent as a gymnast. On occasions where life has slowed down for her and her husband, Colleen enjoys spending time in the yard with her dogs or out and about in nature. On weekends like this one, her home becomes a gathering place, filled with laughter, the patter of paws, and the scent of woodsmoke drifting through the air.

Rights

Copyright of the underlying work is held by the artist. The digital image presented here is for educational purposes only and is not for commercial use.