Picture That Completes Major Art Consulting Project For Sacred Heart University’s New Frank and Mari

STAMFORD, CT - With the start of the fall semester, students and faculty have taken advantage of numerous state-of-the-art features of Sacred Heart University's new Frank and Marisa Martire Business & Communications Center. This 120,000-square foot, three-level facility houses the renowned Jack Welch College of Business, the recently announced School of Communications and Media Arts and includes a trading floor and advanced Media Studies Center.

Valerie Cooper, founder/owner of Stamford-based Picture That, in front of "Nature Ribbons," one of two commissioned copper art sculptures by Linda Leviton that was part of a major art consulting project undertaken by Ms. Cooper's firm for Sacred Heart University's new Frank and Marisa Martire Business & Communications Center which includes the Jack Welch College of Business.

All visitors are viewing, for the first time, a tastefully curated collection of artwork that adorns the facility's walls and corridors. The diverse collection includes hand-embellished paintings on canvas, black-and-white photography of international iconic locations and colorful waterscapes of coastal Fairfield County, Connecticut. Two beautiful copper sculpture installations were also commissioned for the center. As art consultant for the project, Picture That led the curatorial direction and supervised the creation and installation of thecommissioned works.

The extensive art consulting project, completed in time for the new school year, represents the latest in a series of high-profile client engagements that Stamford’s Picture That LLC has executed.

Entrepreneur Valerie Cooper, who founded Picture That in 2002, said, "I'm honored that my firm was selected for this prestigious assignment. It was a highly productive, creative collaboration among university President John Petillo, Vice Provost for Special Academic Programs Mary Lou DeRosa and me. She added: "Dr. Petillo's vision for the Center resulted in the selection of art that mirrors the excellence and mission of the Jack Welch College of Business, ranked as one of the nation's top business schools, as well as the university's technologically advanced School of Communications and Media Arts. Thanks to the superb guidance and support of Ms. DeRosa, this vision was turned into a reality, seamlessly and on time."

The project also represented one of Picture That's fastest turnaround schedules – about four months since the center was completed and dedicated in May. It called for the firm to develop a needs assessment; research and identify art selections; acquire the art; oversee the commissioned work; and transport, deliver and install the art in time for the start of the fall semester.

Commenting on Picture That's contribution to the center, DeRosa noted: "Valerie and her team exceeded our expectations - from the creativity of selecting distinctively unique art to meeting the demanding logistics of hoisting and safely positioning a 200-pound commissioned sculpture. At every step in the fast-track timeline, Picture That's reputation for professionalism, problem solving and full-service support were evident." Among other recent prestigious Picture That client projects are the new 36,000-square-foot Regional Hospice and Home Care Center for Comfort Care and Healing in Danbury; Saint Francis Hospital's new 57,753-square-foot technology and finance center in Hartford; and Yale New Haven Health System's 120,000-square-foot medical center at 5520 Park Ave. in Trumbull scheduled to open in March 2016. Cooper and her firm have won numerous industry and community awards over the past 13 years, including the recent Regional Supplier of the Year Award from the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). Picture That was one of only 16 firms nationwide to win this distinction and is vying for the top national honor, which will be announced October 21 during NMSDC's annual Trade Show in San Diego.

About Picture That LLC Picture That LLC, also known as Picture That Art Consultants, was established in 2002 in Stamford, Connecticut. The firm provides art consulting, appraisal, collection, management and curatorial services for corporations, healthcare organizations and academic institutions nationwide.