Common Ground strives to be the center of a vibrant inclusive community that is alive with art.
Our gallery is located in our highly utilized Flatlander Classroom, a space dedicated to connecting the community, facilitating educational opportunities focusing on healthy living, and providing access to local artists. This multi-use space is ideal for integrating the arts into the urban environment and creating partnerships among artists, the community, and businesses.
Current Flatlander Gallery Art Installation
Stop by the Flatlander Art Gallery to see the newest installation featuring the work of Dr. Ian Wang. Each piece allows the viewer a glimpse into their world full of emotion, hope, and healing.
Literati painting in Chinese is 文人畫. It is scholars painting emphasizing personal expression, emotion, and inner spirit over realistic depiction. It blends calligraphy, poetry, and seals.
As an artist, Dr. Wang loves painting, drawing, photography and sculpture. Since 1998 Dr. Wang has been serving on the Board of Directors of the Spurlock Museum of UIUC. From Sept. 2006 to Oct. 2008 he served as the President of the Spurlock Museum Board of Trustees of UIUC. Since 2007 Dr. Wang has been a member of the American Guild of Natural Science Illustrators. For the academic year of 2009-10 Dr. Wang also served as an art curator of the Asian American Cultural Center of UIUC.
Dr. Wang writes art critics for local, national and international newspapers and magazines. He was an editorial committee member of the Spurlock Museum Magazine. From 2007 to 2020 Dr. Wang was an art columnist and has been writing monthly “Art = Life” columns for the Rantoul Press – An Edition of the News-Gazette’ Community Newspaper.
Dr. Wang won twice Champaign County Arts Council’s ACE award. In recent years Dr. Wang wrote and published 3 art books. Currently, Dr. Wang serves on the Board of Directors of the Spurlock Museum and the Champaign County History Museum.
Dr. Wang’s Artist Statement:
For me, all my artwork, regardless if it is painting, drawing, sculpture or photography…... whatever the medium or technique might be, is the language and expression of my personal and ideological views about the world surrounding us. In creating art, I try to share with people what I see as beautiful or as ugly. In other words, what is right and what is wrong. In a hope we appreciate the beautiful, so to promote the right and denounce the ugly, therefore to avoid the wrong
For artist inquiries, email Dr. Ian Wang: yuat57@aol.com
Art Gallery Reception and Artist Talk
Monday, March 2nd from 4-6pm
Meet the artist and enjoy light refreshments.
Art Gallery
Show Your Local Art in Our Art Gallery
Our Co-op Art Gallery applications are currently closed but we will open up applications in May 2026! The 2025 Cycle is closed.
Local Food For All Mural
Design by Madelyn Witruk
This project was funded by a 2021 grant from the Urbana Arts and Culture Program and the mural was designed by local artist, Madelyn Witruk. The mural encapsulates images of the local food movement, food access, diversity of Urbana residents, cultural cuisines, and highlights imagery from our local farms, like Blue Moon Farm, Sola Gratia Farm, and Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery. This artwork aims to serve as a celebration of Urbana's uniqueness, including its strong local food system, its vibrant art community, and its warm, inclusive culture.