“My earliest memory of knowing, ‘This is very cool and I want to be a part of it’ was when I was quite young — maybe 5,” said Spremulli, a native of Lakewood and now a resident of Ohio. “My mom used to drag me along with her on all her errands and events, but the best was to her art class.

“They were at an artist’s home studio just outside of Jamestown. I remember walking into this studio and being in awe — the smells, the eclectic decor, the controlled chaos, the light, the color and the people. The energy was amazing.”

A 1989 graduate of Southwestern Central School, Spremulli worked for years in advertising. She has used the belief “simple but vibrant” to create graphic illustrations and other works of art that are now collected around the world.

Spremulli was one of three artists commissioned by the city of Cleveland to create murals in recognition of Cleveland Public Auditorium’s 100th anniversary. When built in the early 1920s, the auditorium was among the largest meeting venues in the United States.

Pam Spremulli was one of three artists commissioned by the city of Cleveland to create murals in recognition of Cleveland Public Auditorium’s 100th anniversary. Spremulli is a 1989 graduate of Southwestern Central School. Submitted photo

For her part, Spremulli’s murals, which she calls a “Kaleidoscope History,” focus on the Al Sirat Grotto Shrine Circus that performed in Cleveland Public Auditorium.

Spremulli’s two murals grace the two main ramps leading up to the balcony level.

She shared a few thoughts on her career and passion for art.

P-J: Where do you receive your inspiration for your work?

Spremulli: “It is kind of ironic, because when most parents have young children they tend to take pause on creativity but I was the opposite. My children inspired me to see life through their eyes — the innocence, the clarity, the unknown, it is a continuous curiosity. So the things around me that I wanted to share with them became what I started to draw. I love color and that is a huge base for my work, so I would always bump up the color fun in all my pieces. They loved it — children are the best art critics in my eyes. My daughters are now 16 and 18 but still inspire me every day.”

Pam Spremulli was one of three artists commissioned by the city of Cleveland to create murals in recognition of Cleveland Public Auditorium’s 100th anniversary. Spremulli is a 1989 graduate of Southwestern Central School. Submitted photo

P-J: How were you selected for this project, and how did you decide the concept you went with?

Spremulli: “The city of Cleveland issued a public Request for Proposal to the professional artist community. Interested parties were to submit an artist statement, individual interest in the project and how they would implement it, along with samples of existing work. Only three artists were chosen to paint six murals — two murals each. Once the artists were selected individual concepts were drawn up. The murals needed to reflect the rich 100-year history of the Cleveland Public Auditorium. Because I was aware that one of the other artists was planning on diving into the fabulous Rock n’ Roll history (you name the band they played at the Aud!) I decided to take a different approach and one that tied into my style — specifically color and animals — I took on a kaleidoscope circus theme.”

P-J: How has your work changed over time?

Spremulli: “My work derived from Graphic Design and my years spent working in advertising — simple but vibrant — gets the message across with a glance. It has transformed into a combination of Graphic Design and Fine Art — meshing together just the right amount of detail and color to create a clean crisp image that tells a story. (Portage Hill Gallery in Westfield represents some of my work).”

P-J: What’s something that’s happened to you that’s inspired you?

Spremulli: “Becoming an educator. Both my parents were educators (my dad was a principal at Clymer and my mom a teacher at Panama) and I ran from it. I spent many years in marketing/advertising/publishing — the dog-eat-dog of the creative business. Teaching fell into my lap after I painted a huge mural at my daughter’s school — long story short it has since transpired into teaching at the college level at the Cleveland Institute of Art where I am surrounded by creativity everyday. Sharing my passion with students and seeing what they can create is a beautiful thing. It is hard not to be inspired.”

P-J: What do you miss most about your hometown?

Spremulli: “The beauty, the quiet, the lake, the countryside. I am a Western New Yorker to the bone and lucky for me I have a husband who loves it just as much as I (and yes he is an Ohioan). We purchased a cottage in Chautauqua a few years ago and we really enjoy the off season just as much as the summer months (if not more — I love snow and skiing). The beauty of our landscape and the people that have surrounded me growing up keep me coming back home.

“We have returned every summer since my daughters were young — visiting grandma and grandpa and attending Chautauqua’s children’s school and the Boys and Girls Club. I continue to teach a children’s Special Study class in the Institution every year (what a gift to have so much art exposure in our small town! Another inspiration indeed!).”

P-J: What was it like to take part in this project?

Spremulli: “AMAZING! This was spearheaded by the previous Cleveland Major, Frank Jackson. I am a part of Cleveland history and I am honored. The structure alone is magnificent, and there are murals throughout the main hall that were painted 100 years ago! People are studying them, restoring them, telling their story. I hope someday someone will tell a story about my work and hopefully smile while they do.”