I’ve always been a fan of public art displays. Not only does art break up the scenery, it also forces the mind to take a break from the regular routine.

Since moving to Skokie, a suburb just north of Chicago, I have made it a point to seek out streetside art. Several of my favorite pieces are within a short walking distance of my condo.

The Glowing of Such Fire was the first sculpture purchased by the Skokie Public Arts Advisory Committee. Created by Richard Taylor, it was inspired by William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet #73,” which focuses on the autumn of our lives. Made with welded aluminum and coated with a durable paint, the piece intentionally has a textured surface to “humanize the sculpture,” according to Taylor.

© Jack Keenan

Bridge is the first public sculpture of Jennifer Dickson. Wanting to build something architectural and figurative, Dickson designed Bridge to be climbed on like playground equipment. Dickson sculpted Bridge for several other cities since Skokie.

© Jack Keenan

Cast in bronze, Shencheng Xu created Gourd Man, combining human forms with organic forms to symbolize the relationship between man and nature. Gourd Man was inspired by Xu’s grandmother’s yard and recalls a lighthearted childhood.

© Jack Keenan

Terrence Karpowicz sculpted Leap of Faith as part of his Athlete’s Series. Made of metal tubing welded together, the pieces disassembled and laid flat would form a perfect circle. Leap of Faith represents our daily challenges and our ability to meet them.

© Jack Keenan

Based in modern abstract art and created out of stainless steel, David Noguchi‘s Luminescence was named for the way light plays off of it. The goal was to stimulate the viewer’s imagination.

© Jack Keenan

Each of these pieces is beautiful in its own way. I always seem to see or feel something new every time I pass each sculpture.

— John Wroblewski, online contributor