When clients and patients walk into Vida Medical Clinic and Support Services, they are met with warmth, vibrancy, and love, not only from Vida staff and volunteers but also in the newly renovated Vida campus and building itself.
In May 2021, Vida moved to its new location at 720 W. Association Dr., Appleton, more than doubling its space to support its expanded services and to better serve the needs of its growing patient and client base. Thanks to the shared talents of Sharon Kuplack, a local muralist and artist, a building that once served as a university satellite campus has been transformed into a welcoming and vibrant medical clinic and support services center.
What began as an offer from Sharon to produce some art or murals for Vida evolved into the opportunity to play a key role in collaborating with staff on this once-in-a-lifetime project for Vida.
Last fall, during Vida’s Chip In For Life Golf Outing, Sharon offered Vida artwork or mural work if the need every came along.
“What Vida is doing is such a great thing that I wanted to do anything I could to help,” Sharon said. “I wanted to give back – to do something – with the talents I have.”
Knowing Vida was planning to make a move and expand in spring 2021 at a new building and site, Vida Executive Director Anne Tretinyak, J.D, gratefully and enthusiastically welcomed Sharon’s exciting offer.
Sharon worked closely with Vida staff to conceptualize the theme and design of the new onsite store – the Little Dear Boutique. Clients who participate in Vida education and mentoring programs earn credit, which can be spent in the Little Dear Boutique on baby and maternity essentials such as diapers, wipes, clothes, toys, hygiene products, and more. The space features gender-neutral, engaging, and playful artwork and elements meant to be inviting to moms, dads, and children alike. The boutique-like shopping experience and space reflects the dignity of all those Vida serves.
Sprinkled throughout the support services mentoring rooms are full-wall murals featuring warm, earthy tones, and natural elements – all of which Sharon conceptualized and created – to be longstanding and inviting for both women and men. Medical clinic procedure rooms include framed paintings that mirror the larger wall murals, creating a seamless and integrated design throughout the building.
Little Bear Care, an onsite childcare room for children while their parents are in mentoring or educational sessions, features a mural of nature and forest animals, mirroring the design of the Little Dear Boutique.
A last-minute addition and highly visible mural completed by Sharon at Vida is the front lobby heart logo, which features the word “life” in various languages. She also completed the abstract mural and coffee bar artwork in the nearby medical clinic waiting room.
Beyond murals and artwork, Anne collaborated with Sharon on the interior design and planning elements of the renovation project, helping to create an integrated, aesthetically appealing, and welcoming interior of Vida’s new building. Sharon, who also has interior design background, offered insight and suggestions on wall paint colors, flooring options, countertops, and more.
The impact of the sharing of her talents and the impact of Sharon’s work has already been noticed and will live on for many years to come. One of the first clients to be served in the new building shared what a beautiful facility it is and what a blessing it is to have Vida and all that it offers in the Fox Valley.
“When I look back, it’s amazing what we did [with this project.] This is such a great organization, and God orchestrated this all and it’s all happened perfectly,” Sharon said.
