Just before music filled the gazebo outside Palos Heights City Hall for the Summer Concert Series, the steel strings of “Acoustic Dreams” caught eyes in Memorial Park, 7607 W. College Drive.
The towering 8-foot guitar sculpture, created by Massachusetts artist Dale Rogers, was unveiled in an intimate gathering Thursday, Aug. 7, at 6:45 p.m., hosted by the Palos Heights Public Arts Commission.
The event comes as arts funding in the Midwest is on the rise. A recent Arts Midwest report found that support for the arts in the region, including Illinois, grew by more than 10 percent this year, even as many other parts of the country saw cuts.
Made from Cor-Ten steel and stainless-steel rods, the piece leans slightly but is sturdy and bolted in place. Rogers said he first thought about creating a guitar artwork after seeing similar large-scale pieces by a fellow sculptor. “I wanted to connect my guitar to human emotions,” Rogers said in a statement.
Rogers began welding in 2002 and has since created large-scale metal works now displayed across the country, including in Greenville, South Carolina.
Mayor Robert Straz said public art adds character and value to the community. “It enhances the quality of life in town. Not a lot of towns actually take the time and effort to put up all kinds of art,” he said. “We have about 40 pieces of art throughout this town, between the murals and the sculptures.”
For Public Arts Commission member Lynda Schiappa, the evening felt like a milestone. “As a Public Arts Commission, as we have added pieces, we have never made a big deal out of it, so I think it makes it really exciting and special,” she said. “I hope this is the first of many.”
The commission first encountered Rogers’ work when it purchased “Spring Awakening,” located near the recreation center. Schiappa said she was immediately drawn to the guitar design. “I kept saying, ‘I love that guitar, I want that guitar.’ We were fortunate enough to have it in our budget this year. I just really think he is an incredible artist.”
The Public Arts Commission voted on the purchase during its March 12, 2024, meeting. According to the minutes, the cost was estimated at $4,300, and the piece was delivered to the city about 10 weeks later.
Founded in 2014, the Palos Heights Public Arts Commission is now in its 11th year. Its mission states that public art “humanizes the built environment and invigorates public spaces.” Straz said the group is always looking for more residents to take part. “We have an opening right now for somebody to help out on the commission. It is very little physical work. It is basically picking out art and going around to see different pieces at different places,” he said.
