Janine Sheehy
Memorial Fund in Support of GOCA Student Learning
Janine Sheehy Memorial Fund
Honoring the legacy of Janine Sheehy by supporting UCCS students learning and working with the UCCS Galleries of Contemporary Art
Janine Sheehy knew firsthand that it can be challenging for many artists to earn an income from their work, but she was no stranger to hard work and facing adversity. She was an intrepid forerunner of a generation of women who made a career of military service, with over 20 years in the US Navy, beginning in the early 1970s.
After the Navy, Janine, her husband Patrick (also retired from the Navy), and newborn daughter Rachael, moved to Colorado Springs where she earned her Bachelors of Arts from UCCS and launched her second career as a professional artist. Art was always a critical central focus of her life, and she cultivated beauty in so many forms. Janine really enjoyed her time at UCCS (1998 to 2001) and was a huge fan of Visual Art faculty Louis Cicotello and longtime former GOCA director Gerry Riggs. It was at a GOCA exhibition where she sold her first piece of art. She often shared how gratifying and impactful it was when she sold her art and knew that somebody wanted it to be a part of their home and their lives.
Post-graduation, Janine was a successful fused glass artist, selling at the Commonwheel Artists’ Co-Op Gallery in Manitou Springs for many years where she became adept in the business side of art. When not creating or spending time at Commonwheel, Janine could be found regularly volunteering in the community, trekking the Manitou Incline, and exploring the beauty of the world all around her.
Janine’s legacy is one of service to others, love of her family, and a passion for art. It is in this spirit that her family generously makes this gift in memory of Janine, with the intent that it will empower future artists at UCCS to achieve their artistic potential and gain the experience to earn a successful living through their work. The intention is for the gift to provide financial support for students who are working at GOCA and are majors in the Visual and Performing Arts Department at UCCS.
