CENTURY WALK IN PROCESS OF ADDING MORE ART TO DOWNTOWN

July 3, 1998 — Source: Naperville Sun, The (IL) — Author: Lois Michel

The Naperville Century Walk Committee introduced its 1998 projects and artists at a preview reception Tuesday at the Lisle-Naperville Hilton Hotel in Lisle.

The Century Walk is a collection of public art works in downtown Naperville that celebrate Naperville's heritage.

Sculptor Pamela Carpenter will be creating a sculpture of the late Genevieve Towsley in front of Barnes & Noble Booksellers under construction on Washington Street and Chicago Avenue.

Towsley, a longtime Naperville Sun writer, was known for her Grapevines column, historical feature stories and her book "A View of Historic Naperville."

Towsley's daughter Carol has aided Carpenter with research and has agreed to be the model for the sculpture.

"I will strive to sculpt the spirit and energy of Genevieve Towsley in bronze," Carpenter said.

The sculpture of a woman seated on a bench holding a pad of paper and a pen will stand 48 inches high, 30 inches wide and 25 inches deep.

The figure will be dressed in a sweater decorated with a grapevine.

John Pittman Weber, an artist and Elmhurst College professor, will create a mural of Naperville parades.

The mural will be painted on the north side of the Gap on south Main Street.

"We are not documenting parades, but evoking the 20th century through its parades," Weber said.

The mural will begin at the west end of the 125-foot wall, done in five sections.

Each section, covering 20 years, will be painted in a different color and show historic progress in a type of layered silhouette.

Scenes will depict horse-drawn conveyances and the changing Naperville band to Hula Hoops and Cub Scouts.

The 1990s section, a little longer and brighter, will use the popular Big Wheels to express the move into the 21st century.

Using the medium of mosaic, District 203 art students will create a quilt-like clay relief sculpture that will hang on the west wall of Anderson's Bookshop at 123 W. Jefferson Ave.

District 203 art teacher Stacy Slack has conceptualized the project that would show both diversity and unity.

Black artist Faith Ringgold's painting using quilt-making techniques and text is the inspiration for the project.

Naperville Central High School art teacher Grace Frejlach-Grubb and Barrie Wilson at Naperville North High School will work with students.

The 7 1/2-foot by 9-foot work is projected to be in place by next spring.
     

Section: NEWS — Page: 10