Jackson to Unveil ‘Tiger Spot’ Today
Stephanie Williams
October 12, 2001

The white tent that has stood in front of the Ellis Library for the past few 
months will be removed today at 4 p.m., revealing the result of two years of 
extensive work.

MU master’s of fine arts graduate Paul Jackson was inspired by hi sown circular 
watercolor image of a tiger’s face to create the “Tiger Spot,” a 30-foot 
diameter mosaic made up of nearly 1.5 tons of genuine Italian glass.

“The initial concept was brought up about two year ago,” said Peter Jackson, one 
of the major contributors to the project and the artist’s brother. “It was 
totally conceptualized by Paul.”

The mosaic has taken thousands of hours of work to complete. Hundreds of 
students from around the community, Columbia residents and MU faculty have 
contributed to the painstaking process of laying the glass tiles. Each of the 
201 2-feet-by2-feet squares that constitute the mosaic are made up of nearly 
1,800 tiles no larger than 1 inch in length. Each square took about 15 hours to 
complete. 

“I’ve been here almost tall day,” senior Megan Boyer said.

Boyer, an art education major, has put much time into helping complete the 
project during the past few weeks.

“It takes up a good part of my schedule,” she said. “But you’re doing something 
that’s going to be around for thousands of years. It’s not just a project.”

Peter also said that the “sheer enormity” of the project makes it worthwhile.

“I’ve put my life on hold to help,” he said. “I think we all have. The past 
couple weeks have just been a whirlwind.”

Nancy Moen, spokeswomen for the College of Arts and Science, agrees that this 
project has become an important part of the MU and Columbia communities during 
the past months.

“The most interesting thing about the project is that is has become such a 
public piece of art,” Moen said. “There has been so much community 
participation. It will become another landmark on campus.”

Peter said he sees the “Tiger Spot” as a defining image of the campus.

“This is going to establish the character of Mizzou,” he says. “It screams 
Mizzou. It will broaden the minds of all the students her. This is the face of 
campus.”
The unveiling will include speeches by Chancellor Richard Wallace, Lori Holden, 
wife of the Gov. Bob Holden, and others involved in the project. Paul Jackson 
will formally present the mosaic to the community.

Moen expressed Paul’s hope that the “Tiger Spot” will become a gathering place 
on campus, a place for students to share and create memories.