Nicole Beck fuses rhythmic and poetic systems found in nature and the sciences, building ideas with forms that are dynamic and iconic. Sculptural installations for public art commissions arise from a highly collaborative process that includes local stakeholders and with exhaustive research. These works can incorporate inventive and durable materials like stainless steel, stone, mosaic, custom-laminated dichroic glass and programmable RGB LEDs. Installations are responsive to site and community input, they are always unique and surprising.
Beck has completed many large-scale public sculpture installations nationwide in various sites and with a multitude of materials. Commissions include works nationwide with a recent site-specific commissions for the City of Davis, California’s Sycamore Park and Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania in 2021, and including works in Missouri, Michigan, Iowa, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Indiana.
Regionally in Illinois, Nicole has commissioned public artworks for the Philip J Rock Center for the DeafBlind in Glen Ellyn, IL, the University of Illinois Urbana College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy, IL, Facility for Veterans with Cognitive Impairment, Richland Community College Student Center in Decatur, IL, City of Normal Community Center Park, IL, Schaumburg International Sculpture Park, Libertyville’s Copeland Manor School, Ragdale Foundation in Lake Forest, Orland Park Civic Center, Elgin Police Station, Batavia Donovan Bridge, and Elmhurst’s Larch Park.
Commissions within the City of Chicago have included DeVry University; the Disney Corp.; the Chambers of Commerce in Lake View, Lincoln Park, WestTown and Tritaylor in the Illinois Medical District, and in many locations throughout Chicago's Public, Private and Charter Schools including Ukrainian Village, Brighton Park, Washington Park, South Shore, Canaryville, Clearing, Englewood, Auburn Gresham, Austin and Back of the Yards. Nicole’s public art projects have included a spectacular artist’s garden in Chicagoʼs Grant Park, and installations at The Artist Project, Art Chicago, PierWalk, Krasl Art Museum, Rockford Art Museum, Koehnline Art Museum, Chicago Botanic Gardens, and the Lincoln Park Conservatory.
Nicole has attended artists residencies at La Baldi in Montegiovi, Tuscany, Italy, multiple Ragdale Foundation residencies, a Fellowship at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Vermont Studio Center and Buffalo Creek Arts Center. Beck is intent on creating a network of support and hopes to include many worldwide encounters.