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Signa Rotae

December 31, 2016 By General Content


Photo of Signa Rotae sculpture in West Chicago IllinoisLocation: Sesquicentennial Park

474 Main Street

Dedication Program - .pdf 700kb

Dedication Message from Anni Holm, West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission Chairperson - .pdf 25kb

We have a River.
Not a River in the natural sense of water,
but a River of steel wheels,
of people and freight.
A River that flows in both directions moving things
that build our country,
feeds our people and feeds our curiosity
for faraway places.
It is our heritage, our identity, something to be celebrated. 
                                                                                              Buddy Plumlee
                 October 22, 2016
 

Signa Rotae, which is Latin for Wheel Signs, is a mosaic mural created on a cement podium located at Sesquicentennial Park opposite the pedestrian path. It was created by local artist and Commission member Buddy Plumlee. Speaking of his inspiration for the name of his work, he shares, “I’ve always liked using Latin or Greek in titles, the genus and species of an art piece.”

The piece aptly melds history and art through Plumlee’s use of train-related symbols in a colorful stained glass mosaic base upon which sits a weathered train wheel provided by the West Chicago City Museum. Both elements reflect the roots of a community which was formed by the first railroad junction in Illinois in 1849, and honor the many railroad workers that have called West Chicago home over the City’s 167 year history. And indeed, the placement of Signa Rotae at Sesquicentennial Park lends itself to the historic sense of place for which the Park was dedicated in 1998 in commemoration of the City’s 150th Anniversary. Scroll to bottom of page to view some of the process involved in creating this beautiful piece of public art.

About the Artist:

Buddy PlumleeAs a resident of West Chicago for the past 12 years, Plumlee’s enthusiasm for the arts has contributed to his volunteer involvement on the Cultural Arts Commission and his offer to create a piece of art which the entire community could enjoy. The City provided funding for materials used in the project. He recently appeared in the City’s continuing series of videos which feature members of the community sharing their reasons for choosing West Chicago as a community in which to live, work and thrive. The video can be viewed on the City’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/CityofWestChicago.

Classically trained in the study of painting and art history at Scuola Lorenzo de Medici in Florence, Italy, and a graduate of the University of Iowa with an MFA in painting, Buddy Plumlee’s experience working with the mosaic medium spans the past 14 years. “Most of the mosaics I have created have been for private residences. The largest mosaic mural I created was for Pathway Connections Childcare and Early Learning in Lisle, Il.  I consider myself a painter first, working primarily in oil on canvas.  I do enjoy the process of the mosaic medium, though it can be very tedious if a lot of detail is involved.  But the results are always stunning.  A mosaic piece, especially of a larger dimension, takes on a life of its own and can be very engaging visually.  It is a medium well suited for public art,” he explained.

This exciting piece of public art is sure to serve the community well, as it expresses pride in West Chicago’s identity and provides a point of interest and beauty for people walking on the pedestrian path or commuters traveling on the Metra line.

Signa Rotae Photos by Uwe Gsedl

Photo of Signa Rotae sculpture in West Chicago Illinois
Photo of materials used Signa Rotae sculpture in West Chicago Illinois
Photo of artist creating Signa Rotae sculpture in West Chicago Illinois
Photo of artist creating Signa Rotae sculpture in West Chicago Illinois
Photo of artist creating Signa Rotae sculpture in West Chicago Illiinois
Photo of artist creating Signa Rotae sculpture in West Chicago Illiinois
Photo of in ground plaque commemorating West Chicago Sesquicentennial
Photo of in ground plaque commemorating West Chicago Sesquicentennial Commission
Photo of Signa Rotae sculpture and artist mixing solution
Photo of materials used on Signa Rotae sculpture
Photo of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist working on it
Photo of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist working on it
Photo of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist working on it
Photo of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist arriving to work on it with train in background
Photo of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist arriving to work on it
Photo of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist working on it
Photo of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist working on it
Photo of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist working on it
Photo at unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist
Photo at unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture of hands on sculpture
Photo at unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture looking through sculpture at street lamp
Photo at unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture
Photo at unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture with Mayor Pineda
Photo at unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture with citizens
Photo at unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture with citizens
Photo at unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist and Mayor Pineda and citizens
Photo at unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist and Mayor Pineda and citizens
Photo of unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist and Mayor Pineda
Photo of unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture
Photo of unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture
Photo of unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture
Mosaic Unvail 22
Photo of unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture with artist and Mayor Pineda
Photo of unveiling of Signa Rotae sculpture
Uwe Gsedl

Filed Under: Arts in West Chicago Tagged With: Public Art grid

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