Art on the outside

You don’t have to visit an art gallery to gather inspiration or up your culture quotient. In fact, it’s possible to enjoy original works and soak up the sun at the same time. Kane County is awash in community art.

One venue to check out is the St. Charles Public Art Tour where you can explore murals, sculptures, and other outdoor works all year. Install the Travel St. Charles app on a smart phone to find all the locations. The Art in Public Places website lists all 180 pieces, and there’s a self-guided audio walking tour, including an electronic map and description of some of the pieces. QR code signage is installed for all art pieces on the tour.

Included is the annual Sculptures in the Park exhibit in Mt. St. Mary Park. Take a stroll along the winding path and immerse yourself in artistic diversity with the latest installment of original sculptures. The park is located on the west bank of the Fox River. For information, visit https://www.stcsculpture.org/.

Downtown Geneva also offers up a plethora of outdoor sculptures, murals and other artwork scattered across the city. To experience the Geneva History Museum’s self-guided Public Art Tour, download the map or purchase a paper copy at their gift shop at 113 S. Third St. Find everything from the Art on Fire fire hydrant art to art in the alley, art in the park, to the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial at the steps of the historic Kane County Courthouse. For more information visit https://www.geneva.il.us/975/Geneva-Public-Art.

The City of Elgin Public Art Tour pinpoints 18 pieces of diverse art forms. Print out a map at Public Art | City of Elgin, Illinois - Official Website, where you can find photos of each artwork, their location on the map, and a description of each. Check out the Pioneer Family Memorial Sculpture, by Trygve Rovelstad, a tribute to the original pioneers who settled in Elgin.

Make a stop at the mural Stronger Together, painted directly on the first level north wall of the Centre of Elgin’s parking deck on Symphony Way, inspired by the Women’s Marches and the Me Too Movement.

The Batavia Public Art Initiative includes the Art of the Fox Mural Series, featuring 10 nature-inspired murals on the boarded windows of the east wall of the Jeffery D. Schielke Government Center, overlooking the Fox River.

The historic former windmill factory, stretching along the Fox, is now a government building and the grounds are a community gathering space, a public river walk, and wildflower sanctuary. The murals emphasize the beauty, importance, and diversity of the Fox River and the communities it runs through.

Downtown Aurora has more than 50 public art installations. From the Aurora Transportation Center to the Santori Public Library, find murals and sculptures at various points along the Fox River Trail. Learn more about each artwork on Aurora’s Downtown Public Art interactive map.