by Drew Hanfland, of Effingham, IL.

Inspired by bathroom stalls, bus stops, and graffitied road signs, this work reflects the human impulse to leave a trace and share something without consequence.

Viewers are invited to "leave a message" - a love note, a quote, a doodle or something they've always wanted to say. Over the year, the audience will have created the final piece... not only physical, but emotional, too. Please, leave a message.

by Matt Moyer of Columbia, MO.

Matt Moyer's Fin Pump, draws attention to the overlooked machinery quietly woven into everyday life. Found beneath streets, inside homes and throughout factories, pumps serve essential roles in both convenience and emergency, yet often go unnoticed.

By transforming these utilitarian objects into sculpture, Moyer highlights the beauty, history and human resilience embedded within the industrial forms we so often discard or forget.

by Nik Alwerdt of Altamont, IL.

Flash 5 by Nik Alwerdt shifts with the light, revealing a second life after dark through bands of vivid reflective tape. Crafted from found objects, this piece invites viewers to experience it not just in passing, but in changing conditions.

As night falls, color and reflection take over... turning the sculpture into something dynamic, unexpected and alive in its surroundings.

by Gary Auerswald of St. Francisville, IL.

This kinetic steel sculpture pairs structure and motion, with opposing springs supporting a suspended form. Three angels are cut into the upper blue element, remaining constant and symbolizing a continuing presence.

As wind moves the piece, the shifting motion suggests angels rising upward, offering a quiet reflection on comfort, memory and enduring connection.

by Andrew Arvanetes of Kankakee, IL.

Andrew Arvanetes creates narrative-driven sculptures that invite viewers to form their own personal connections and interpretations.

Using familiar visual details and symbolic forms, his work balances precise fabrication with playful scale, whimsy... and a touch of the absurd.

by Gregory Mendez of Decatur, IN.

Drawing from the ancient Greek word kometes, meaning "long-haired," Gregory Mendez's Kometes captures the energy and motion of a comet blazing across the night sky.

Sweeping forms evoke the glowing trail of gas and debris left in its wake, transforming a fleeting celestial phenomenon into a striking sculptural moment suspended in motion.

by Leah Hanfland of Effingham, IL.

Inspired by the lilies found in the work of Czech artist Alphonse Mucha in the early twentieth century, Leah Hanfland's Mosaic Lilies embraces the flowing elegance and decorative spirit of Art Nouveau. The fragmented mosaic form enhances these organic shapes, creating movement and delicacy.

Rather than framing portraits or theatre scenes as Mucha once did, these lilies are meant to live within the rhythm of Downtown Effingham - offering a quiet reminder of beauty woven into the energy of everyday life.

by Todd Kingery of Edgewood, IL.

The Nest Series invites visitors to settle into nature itself... Handcrafted chairs woven from branches and twigs that are as sturdy as they are sculptural. Kingery's signature use of organic materials transforms the ordinary into something imaginative... and distinctly local.

Designed as a pair, one nest cradles a child or smaller sitter while the other welcomes an adult, creating a shared moment of connection.

by Darin Shumaker of Charleston, IL.

Ocean Daydream, like many of Darin Shumaker's creations, began as a discarded tool. From the head of a shovel, a jellyfish emerged... delicate yet resilient.

In landlocked Illinois, the ocean exists as memory or imagination, and this peace drifts between the two. It speaks to quiet strength, moving gently through life's currents while daring to dream beyond the horizon.

by Gary Auerswald of St. Francisville, IL.

In Older Person's Thinking, Gary Auerswald reflects on the quiet frustration of aging, where thoughts and memories remain present, but just out of reach. Like words hidden behind a veil, they can be seen but not spoken.

The piece reflects on aging, memory and the unseen depth of a mind that remains active... even when expression begins to fade.

by Matt Boonstra of Central IL.

Orbit Hour Glass by Matt Boonstra is a sculptural work inspired by the traditional hourglass form, referencing the passage and measurement of time through its structure. The piece reflects Boonstra's interest in clean, intentional form and balanced composition.

Based in Central Illinois, Boonstra is an artist and educator whose work has been exhibited in galleries and sculpture parks nationwide.

by Gregory Mendez of Decatur, IN.

Blending industrial history with natural symbolism, Gregory Mendez's sculpture pairs an early railway lantern with the watchful presence of a red-tailed hawk.

Reminiscent of an antique ring knocker, the piece evokes themes of passage, protection, and connection to the past.

by V. Skip Willits of Camanche, IA.

Skip Willits' Red Writing Figure incorporates written language as part of its evolving surface, often drawn from songs in the studio or poems he admires. Markings are layered and occasionally rewritten in a palimpsest-like process, creating a record of shifting thoughts over time. The result is a work that reflects both material form and the quiet accumulation of memory and meaning.

by Darin Shumaker of Charleston, IL.

In Seymore?, Darin Shumaker transforms grief into something living.

Created in honor of his mother, the piece reimagines a discarded rim as a blooming form - reflecting her love of art, science, and nature. The question is the title invites personal interpretation, reminding us that meaning, like memory, continues to grow.

by Gregory Mendez of Decatur, IN.

Talos draws from Ancient Greek mythology, where the figure - crafted by Hephaestus - stood as a vigilant protector of Crete.

Depicted in legend as a towering bronze man and a bull-like guardian, Talos is often considered one of the earliest imaginings of a mechanical being. This interpretation bridges myth and invention, reintroducing an ancient "robot" into the present with a sense of enduring strength and story.

by E. Hollinshead Stead of Newton, IL.

The Lady of the Lake brings a touch of the fantastical to the everyday landscape...

A sea dragon imagined simply for the joy of its existence!

Constructed from countless cut wooden blocks and sealed in epoxy, she balances whimsy with craftsmanship, inviting passersby to pause, photograph, and interact.

by Lorelei Sims of Charleston, IL.

Totem Stop by Lorelei Sims stands tall and expressive, a figure assembled from found objects that feels both grounded and alive. With outstretched 'arms,' hair rising on end, and a face formed from a repurposed headlight that catches the afternoon sun, this piece shifts with the light and invites a second look.

Sims' intuitive use of salvaged materials transforms the ordinary into something quietly radiant.

by Aldon Addington of Carbondale, IL.

"We are all searching for something. The problem is knowing when you've found it."

Untitled 2 reflects Aldon Addington's continued exploration of stainless steel and form, shaped by decades of experience.

Now in his nineties, he remains actively engaged in his practice, creating work driven by curiosity and available materials.

by Lorelei Sims of Charleston, IL.

Spider Mum by Lorelei Sims transforms rugged, utilitarian farrier files into a striking floral form in full bloom. Layered and forged with precision, the piece captures the delicate complexity of a spider mum while honoring the strength of its materials.

Drawing from her practice as a contemporary blacksmith in Charleston, Sims brings new life to found objects - where industry and artistry meet in unexpected ways.