Allan Hancock College Fine Arts Professor Emerita Nancy Jo Ward stands beside “IllumiNation,” her new interactive light installation recently unveiled inside the college’s Fine Arts Complex.? Photos courtesy of Allan Hancock College.
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SANTA MARIA — Allan Hancock College celebrated the unveiling of “IllumiNation,” a new large-scale interactive art installation created by Fine Arts Professor Emerita Nancy Jo Ward, during a special ceremony held May 19 inside the college’s Fine Arts Complex.
Installed on the second floor of the Fine Arts Complex near Room 209, the immersive piece uses light, color, motion, and abstract forms to transform the hallway into a dynamic artistic environment that invites reflection and interaction.
“I wanted it to feel like a form of communication or language,” Ward said. “Something that invites curiosity and creates a calming, welcoming space for people.”
The large-scale installation spans approximately 8 feet by 8 feet, with 21 individually programmed LED light-forms arranged in a grid-like composition, allowing it to transform what had previously been an underutilized hallway space into a vibrant and immersive artistic environment.
The installation combines Ward’s background in graphic design, typography, color theory and digital media with interactive lighting technology. Ward spent months designing and programming the piece, carefully mapping color sequences and movement patterns to create what she described as a peaceful, almost meditative experience.
“I knew I wanted it to be based on color theory and to feel organic and calming. I wanted people to walk by it and feel something, even if they couldn’t immediately explain what it was,” Ward said. “I wanted this to create a moment of comfort, creativity, and healing.”
Ward retired from Allan Hancock College in 2025 after 27 years of teaching in the Fine Arts program. During her time at the college, she served on numerous campus committees and councils, helped establish the Faculty Innovation Fund and organized Hancock’s first-ever AI Summit. Her artwork has been exhibited internationally, including a recent feature at the Florence Biennale in Italy. She also created “Valley of Light,” the illuminated public art installation at the Betteravia Government Center.
“Nancy Jo Ward’s work reflects the creativity, innovation, and passion she brought to Allan Hancock College for nearly three decades,” said Patrick Trimbath, co-chair of the college’s Arts on Campus Committee. “We’re proud to have such a visually engaging installation that not only transforms this space but also honors her legacy and the countless students she inspired throughout her career.”
For Ward, the installation serves as both a work of art and a continuation of her years as an educator.
“Even though I’m retired, this piece still reflects what I taught for so many years. Things like structure, progression, typography, color theory, and design,” she said. “This piece feels like a way to keep teaching through art.”
Ward’s installation is the latest work of art brought to Hancock’s Santa Maria campus by the college’s Art on Campus Committee. The committee provides leadership for public art projects at Allan Hancock College to provide access to a variety of high-quality artistic experiences for students, staff and the community. The committee is comprised of fine arts faculty, as well as college staff and administrators.
For a look at the many art installations on the Santa Maria campus, visit the Art on Campus Map atwww.hancockcollege.edu/pathways/creative-arts/art/artoncampus.php