Welcome to Illuminating Art in Nature! This guide includes descriptions of each sculpture and a map of their locations. For additional information and the full event schedule, check out this blog.
Jack-O’-Lanterns by Unit One/Allen Hall Students
Fifty jack-o’-lanterns line the Red Oak Rain Garden border, featuring pumpkins supplied by Garden Grove Florals in Le Roy, Illinois. Carved by Allen Hall students, with event organization from Unit One/Allen Hall Program Director Stephanie Huerta, the pumpkins showcase designs inspired by the Red Oak Rain Garden’s native plants and the wildlife that benefits from the rain garden, such as owls and bats.
Ephemeral Experiences Art Exhibit by ARTS 252 & ARTE 475 Students
The fine art exhibit’s theme is Ephemeral Experiences, exploring fleeting childhood memories and nostalgia. Featuring 16 sculptures created by Art Studio 252: Making and Meaning students and curated by Art Education 475: Art Exhibition Practices students, the exhibit is guided by their respective Teaching Assistant Professors, Lindsey Stirek and Somi Lee. The artists integrated their work into nature using biodegradable materials that leave no trace, while curators gained hands-on experience arranging environmentally responsible exhibitions.
1. The Door to More
Artist:
Cece Biank
Description:
A small archway resembling a fairy door or a portal to another world.
Materials:
Flowers, sticks, leaves, grass, and dandelion stems.
2. The Worm
Artist:
Steve Huang
Description:
A long, thin, winding mound of packed dirt covered with branches, twigs, and leaves in the shape of a tidepool, mounted on cardboard measuring 2-3 feet long and 1 foot wide.
Materials:
Soil, cardboard, twigs, branches, and leaves.
3. Light of the World
Artist:
Madelyn Lee
Description:
A lantern about 8×8 inches, illuminated by LED tea lights, using Hosta leaves, dried grass, and other natural materials.
Materials:
Hosta leaves, grass, mulberry withies (sticks) for framing, and LED tea lights.
4. Stagnant Memory
Artist:
Hallie Thomas
Description:
A leaf paper-mâché sphere, potentially one large or 2-3 smaller spheres.
Materials:
Leaves, rice glue, and tall grass for rope.
5. Their Blanket
Artist:
Jadie Geleerd
Description:
A tie blanket, the size of a typical full-size throw.
Materials:
Upcycled burlap, biodegradable thread, and leaves.
6. Receiving the Gift
Artist:
ARTS 252 Class
Description:
Graduated color spiral made of leaves.
Materials:
Leaves and toothpicks.
7. Nature’s Journal
Artist:
Lily Ryan
Description:
An 8×8-inch journal with a cover made from grasses, sticks, and birch bark. The pages, made from recycled paper bags, include prompts for visitors to write their thoughts.
Materials:
Yucca grass, sticks, birch bark, recycled paper, jute twine, berry ink, and a handmade pen. Visitors can write in the journal.
8. Ice Blink
Artist:
Sam Warzecha
Description:
An 11-inch cube of ice containing acorns, walnuts, and twigs, designed to melt over time.
Materials:
Water, acorns, walnuts, and twigs.
9. Marionette
Artist:
Diamond Jackson
Description:
A set of 6-10 small corn husk dolls, about 6×9 inches. Visitors can move and handle the dolls.
Materials:
Corn husk, small white flowers, and biodegradable thread.
10. Grounded in Memory
Artist:
John Du
Description:
A stone arrangement, approximately 3×3 feet wide and 1.5 feet tall, symbolizing positive childhood memories fading over time.
Materials:
Local stones, natural fibers, and moss for integration with the surroundings.
11. Acorn Piñata
Artist:
Jocelyn Munoz
Description:
A small acorn-shaped piñata, not large in size.
Materials:
Wheat or rice glue, cardboard, acorn tops, and nuts.
12. Mask
Artist:
Joe Kelly
Description:
A face or mask crafted from natural materials, around the size of a typical human face or slightly bigger.
Materials:
Cardboard, bark, twigs, natural twine, and acorn caps.
13. Laughter in the Wind
Artist:
Tiffany Pan
Description:
A bamboo wind chime installation, around 1 meter tall and 60 cm wide, symbolizing fleeting childhood memories. Visitors may gently push the chimes to create sound.
Materials:
Bamboo, rattan, stones, nuts, and twine.
14. Woven in the Corn
Artist:
Meredith Hislope
Description:
2-4 small to medium baskets made from hand-woven paper strips, cradled in jute nets.
Materials:
Corn, cotton, abaca, pure cotton thread, miscanthus fibers, and jute cord.
15. Carried by the Wind
Artists:
Sophie Morgan and Yvett Castrejon
Description:
Two kites made from natural materials, no larger than 30×30 inches, with draping parts for wind interaction.
Materials:
Willow branches, sycamore leaves, flower petals, natural glue, grasses, vines, and flowers.
16. Memory Gardens
Artists:
Doris Hu and Chris Li
Description:
An exhibition with various “play stations” for activities like painting with natural materials and building with tree branches, evoking childhood play and exploration.
Materials:
Dirt, flower petals, grass, charcoal, wooden boards, stones, tree bark, recycled paper, branches, sand, and water.
Permanent Art Collection at RORG
To learn about the permanent art collection, including the ceramic tiles and Prairie Fire sculpture, please follow this link.
Red Oak Rain Garden 