Kate Tully of Prospect Heights likes to spark joy with her public art. She started by painting imaginative murals on her garage door, but for the last five years, she has collaborated with fellow Prospect Heights artist, Mara Lovisetto, to spread even more joy, by drawing people outdoors and celebrating nature.
Together, they created a whimsical ArtWalk and Art Fair that returns Saturday to Izaak Walton Park in Prospect Heights. This year, it revolves around the theme, “Celebrate the Prairie.” Held in collaboration with the Prospect Heights Natural Resources Commission and the Prospect Heights Park District, the event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the park, which is located at 201 Elmhurst Road. Admission is free.
Expect to see creations in all types of media, including mosaic glass, painting, drawing, photography, wood, metal, or another medium of the artist’s choice. In all, more than 25 artists will be displaying — and selling — their work.
“It is truly a community, grassroots art project, and gives a lovely feeling to this once forgotten park,” Tully says. “The art is created by mostly local artists and others who are supportive of our project. Installations begin showing up in the spring and stay outdoors until about October. Artists keep adding pieces all summer and even into the fall at the park setting, which compliments our work.”
Indeed, it is the setting that makes this art fair and sale so unique. The Prospect Heights slough (pronounced slew), is a natural wetland area and pond that first showed up on a 1848 land survey map. Its surrounding prairie wetlands offer ways to observe many varieties of fish, wildlife, birds, turtles, snakes, insects and pollinators.
In fact, one local birder, Cyndi Lubecke, counted as many as 98 different species of birds at the slough, back in 2018.
Volunteers with the Prospect Heights Natural Resources Commission began working to preserve the Prospect Heights slough back in 2014. They obtained the first ComEd Green Regions Grant and set out over the next two years to remove the invasive buckthorn that encased the wetlands.
Prospect Heights artist Kathy O’Shea with her cut-out of an oak tree on metal
As recently as 2021, PHNRC volunteers received their fourth ComEd Green Regions grant, enabling them to install a second boardwalk over the pond and reclaim over an acre of wetland back from the invasive cattails. They worked with Eagle Scout Felix Weirich, in building the boardwalk
Volunteers now say the park is a place for exploration, imagination, science, observation, exercise and the enjoyment of nature. It features two sections of boardwalk that connect several nature trails and an observation deck.
Tully adds that the little known park and its abundant nature and wildlife, serve to connect art walk patrons with nature and art.
“In our world today, we are so involved with technology and sports,” she says. “The art walk gets kids — and adults — back into nature, and into art.”
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