I have written several times about my appreciation for public art and sculptures. Last weekend, on a long walk at Skokie Northshore Channel Park, I admired several pieces while getting exercise.

The Village of Skokie turned a two-mile stretch of neglected land into a public area with landscaped biking and walking paths. The area also features more than 60 large-scale sculptures.

One of my favorites is Votive Head 2000 – 2012 by Stacy Latt Savage. Unfortunately, I could not find much information on this piece. Obviously looking like a human head, I loved the way it looked from different angles.

Created by Luis Toruella, Observatorio de la Imaginacion features two pieces. The smaller one is meant to serve as a seat for viewing and contemplation. The bright blue really stood out among the mostly bland colors of all the sculptures.

ID 114015444 © Jim Roberts | Dreamstime.com

The first and largest of his Fel-Pro sculptures in the park, Groundkeeper was created by Ted Gall. Meant to be a giant gasket seemingly half buried in the ground, it reminded me of brass knuckles.

Rudiger Seidt sculpted Feminin to resemble the lower half of a woman’s body. Self-taught, Seidt utilized simplicity to emphasize the power of women.

Authentic Boeing L-11 airplane wings and aluminum were cut, formed and welded together by Konreid Muench to make Time Flies. One of the largest pieces in the park, it is visibly simple yet possibly required the most work to make.

ID 114016553 © Jim Roberts | Dreamstime.com

Using natural redwood and adding copper scales, Bruce Johnson made Walking Stone. One of the easiest pieces to decipher, it is meant to resemble the lower half of a body walking.

The last piece on this part of our walk was one of the most interesting and thought-provoking. Becky Guttin incorporated several discarded elements, including crushed car radiators, iron and recycled glass, as well as steel and aluminum, in making Survival. The main piece is curved, with smaller pieces meant for sitting and reflecting on the survival of the planet.

ID 114018233 © Jim Roberts | Dreamstime.com

This was just one stretch of the park, but the weather was too frigid to continue. We decided to return for more on a warmer day.

— John Wroblewski, special projects manager