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Chicago Tribune
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Art becomes part of the nature mission at Will County forest preserves
Visitors to Forest Preserve District of Will County sites have something else to discover besides walking trails, flora and fauna – art inspired by nature. Throughout the year, the district's visitors centers host exhibits of work by artists local and national, connecting people to nature in ways they may not have expected. 'It's another way of introducing our preserves and nature centers,' said Heather Van Zyl, facility supervisor for Plum Creek Nature Center in Crete Township. 'There are visitors and community members who sometimes find their way to us for the first time because of an artist or an exhibition,' she explained. 'They say, 'Now that I know you're here, I see all these trails and all these exhibits. I'm going to bring my family.' … It can be a really great introduction.' As part of that mission, through Aug. 24 Plum Creek presents 'Prairie Reverie,' which features more than 30 pieces by Orland Park artist Carrie Carlson, including linoleum block prints, ceramic pieces, drawings, paintings and sketch books. The free exhibit highlights the Illinois prairie through its depiction of native plants, animals and landscapes. It can be viewed 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. What drew Van Zyl to Carlson's art was her work with purple prairie clover. 'It's a little flower you don't hear that much about, and she features that in several pieces. I love that flower but it doesn't get much attention. When I saw that in her work, I thought 'I need to know that person who has even noticed this little flower.' That drew me in.' She wants visitors to feel a connection to nature, which is the forest preserve district's mission. 'Maybe being with art is a different way to experience nature to see a perspective that you never noticed before. You might see birds … or see flowers and (try to find them.) Maybe they will take that inspiration and take it to the next level themselves as well. 'We really think there is a lot of art to be found in nature. When you think about the patterns you see not only visually like butterfly wings and the seasonality of things but the musicality of all. All the exhibits we bring in here and curate are to connect people to nature,' Van Zyl shared. 'So many artists and individuals draw inspiration from nature for their work as well, whether that be visual art or audio or beadwork.' Carlson said she hopes her art, which is grounded in her background of scientific illustration and nature journaling, raises awareness for nature's sometimes overlooked creatures. 'Rusty Patched Bumblebees – they are adorable. I've never seen one in person. I've seen specimens at the Field Museum. I've gotten permission to see them and draw them up close.' She added that land is always at risk to be developed. 'We have got to protect our wild spaces and encourage people to plant natives in their own yards,' she said. 'We can be way stations to bigger spaces. Even a little patch can be a nesting ground. So I hope people get excited about native plants and seeing my art.' One of her favorite mediums is printmaking, which she began doing about 10 years ago after inheriting tools and blocks from her grandmother. The Plum Creek Nature Center exhibit showcases block prints as well as some of her sketchbooks – a 'peek behind the scenes' as well as tools. Visitors can make prints of their own on paper and tea towels using nature-themed stamps and carving their own linoleum block at a workshop July 26. There is a $20 fee and registration is required. Information is at Farther west, forest preserve enthusiasts will find 'The Joy of Birds,' a free exhibit featuring 20 watercolor paintings by Homer Glen artist Robert Hafey. It can be seen from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays until July 6 at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon. 'All of my watercolor paintings, with the exception of one, were done from photographs that I took on the trails of Will County,' Hafey shared. 'I generally walk the Centennial Trail every day in Romeoville. It runs along the Des Plaines River. I do that almost every morning, four miles. I carry a large camera with me and I shoot bird photographs.' Capturing birds on camera has taught Hafey that each species has its own traits and habits, and he's continually inspired by things such as 'a migrating warbler in constant movement with an almost frantic look on its face, as it scans every branch and leaf for insects to fuel the night flight ahead.' 'Birds are loved by all. They have always and will continue to spark our interest because of their beauty and ability to fly. That is why, for me, they are the perfect subject,' he shared. 'Painting birds almost guarantees my artwork will be appreciated and bring joy to people.' Hafey said the forest preserve center is a 'natural place' for his art to be displayed, and visitors' reactions are all the thanks he needs. 'One of the things I love when people approach my work and look at it is I often see them looking at it and smiling. That is my reward for my artwork is to have them appreciate it, and to have them appreciate it in that setting makes it come together.' He hopes people 'feel the joy of observing nature through art.' 'My goal is to have the gallery visitors leave with an elevated interest in both the arts and nature,' Hafey said. 'Viewers will experience joy – the joy that nature brings to those who take the time to slow down, visit a local hiking trail or park and just observe the natural world. The gallery visitors may be inspired to get outside and look for the birds observed in the exhibit. 'All the birds portrayed live in or pass through Will County,' he added. 'I hope the paintings ignite or renew the viewer's belief that the natural world must be protected and the caretakers of our natural spaces must be supported.' Some of the district's past displays include 'Frida Kahlo's Garden' and the 'Inspired by the National Parks' and 'Inspired by Endangered Species' quilt exhibitions. Another exhibit, Becorns: Little Acorn People Living Big Lives, is on display through June 29 at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook. 'Those are just three of the more unique exhibits our visitors have been able to enjoy in recent years,' said Forest Preserve District spokeswoman Cindy Wojdyla Cain. The district also has partnered with the Bolingbrook Arts Council in the past. For instance, Hidden Oaks Nature Center hosted 'The Natural World Art Exhibit' in 2023, which featured a variety of nature-themed artwork by local artists Earlier this year, the district featured the 'Smokey Bear: The Rudy Wendelin Collection' exhibit at four forest preserve visitor centers. It showcased paintings of the U.S. Forest Service's mascot. 'When I reviewed all the exhibits we've had in recent years, I'm kind of amazed myself how varied they are — from Frida Kahlo to Smokey the Bear. Including local artists is always a priority, too,' Cain said. 'We're a local government agency, so we like to give local people opportunities to show off their passion for nature.' The district's willingness to embrace a variety of artists 'highlights the critical connection between creativity and natural inspiration. Artists have been inspired by nature since they began drawing in caves,' she added. 'And in a day and age of electronic bombardment and hyper connectivity, it's wonderful to see so many artists who are still inspired by the bees, blossoms and birds in our preserves.'
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
‘Credible' new Bigfoot sighting wows experts after 6ft tall beast covered in hair targets father and son in woods
A BIGFOOT group has hailed a 'credible' new sighting after a dad and son saw a mystery creature's 'hairy back and big butt cheeks.' The pair were out fishing in the woods - when all of a sudden they 'heard rustling in a tree and a huge thud hitting the ground.' 2 Edward Henry and his son, 12, shared their spooky ordeal with Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO), a group in Akron, Ohio, which investigates and publishes reported sightings. Henry told the Bigfoot chasers that he and his boy had been out fishing in Monroe County, Michigan, on May 18, when all of a sudden they got the fright of their lives. They had gone out to a fishing spot behind a jail, located near a quarry in an area north of Plum Creek. His report to BFRO said, "I was bow fishing today with my son around 11:30am. "We walked down the creek [Plum Creek] past four bridges [railroad bridges] and headed into the marsh. "100 yards into the marsh the dog scared up something that was bedded there. Trees were shaking. We thought it was a group of deer." Assuming nothing was amiss, they continued a further 200 yards to the creek basin in the marsh. His report dramatically added, "All of a sudden I heard rustling in a tree to the left and a huge thud hitting the ground from the tree. "A big heavy animal hit the ground and crouched and start moving towards me through brush. I'm a Bigfoot hunter - the most shocking sightings I've encountered and what I believe is the beast's true origin story "My dog fired off from the right of me toward the creature." QUICK ESCAPE He added, "The dog almost got to it but the creature shot off extremely fast through trees and brush. "The dog chased the creature up the slope and over the train tracks. I then called for my dog to come back. "My son said 'holy s**t what was that? It was as big as a bear but it looked like a gorilla!' "We walked back, but we heard something crunching on the ground behind us. We left!" It was a large dark furred primate that ran up a slope on two legs looking like a gorilla from behind. Yes, that would be a Bigfoot. BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker said in his follow-up investigation report that he had spoken with "Edward and his son by phone, separately. "Both are credible and freshly descriptive about what happened to them this morning." Moneymaker said the dad, aged 47, "was born and raised in the area. He earns a good living working in the demolition trade." Henry was grilled on how the animal reacted. The BFRO member added, "I asked enough to discern that it was not a bear. "It was a large dark furred primate that ran up a slope on two legs looking like a gorilla from behind. Yes, that would be a Bigfoot." BIG BUM Moneymaker said the animal was reported as being "roughly 10 feet up the tree when it jumped down. "At no time was it facing the two humans. "The point at which they got the clearest look at it was when it was ascending the embankment. "They could see the hairy back and big butt cheeks pretty clearly for a few seconds." HUNCHED OVER His report said the animal had not been witnessed moving on all fours. Instead, "it raced up the slope on two legs but hunched forward. "In its hunched posture it was nearly six feet tall. The son said it would have been much taller if not hunched over." Unfortunately, the incident happened so quickly that the shocked pair didn't have time to photograph the mystery creature. The whole encounter lasted less than ten seconds from beginning to end, according to the report. Moneymaker added, "It happened totally by surprise. No one would have gotten a photo of it in that first shock interval." HUNGRY BEAST He also explained there was plenty of prey for a Bigfoot to hunt - especially deer. His report noted, "This area around the marsh for Tamarack Creek is full of deer. No hunting is allowed there. Only fishing is allowed there. "Consequently there are herds of deer in the marsh and woods year round. "There are lots of cattails around this marsh as well. Therefore, two things Bigfoots consume, especially in winter: cattails and deer. There are likely other food sources around this marsh as well. "Bigfoot look for deer so they will sometimes end up in pockets of woods near towns like Monroe when there is enough plants and animals to sustain them." More on the Bigfoot/sasquatch mystery For more than four centuries, people have reported seeing large, hair-covered, man-like animals in the wilderness areas of North America, according to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) in Ohio. It adds, "Real or not, these reports are often made by people of unimpeachable character. "For over seventy years, people have been finding, photographing, and casting sets of very large human-shaped tracks. "Most are discovered by chance in remote areas. These tracks continue to be found to this day. "It is a fact that the cultural histories of many Native American and First Nation peoples include stories and beliefs about non-human 'peoples' of the wild. "Many of these descriptions bear a striking resemblance to the hairy man-like creatures reported today." An article about the alleged sighting in The Detroit News was mocked by readers. One said on social media, "Y'all, if Bigfoot did exist, no way in hell is he choosing to live in Monroe." Another joked, "I heard Elvis was there too." But one believer wrote, "There have been stories of Bigfoot sightings for many years, as well as other strange things in the downriver area." And a fellow Bigfoot fan agreed, "I have long suspected this area of having Sasquatch activity. "It's entertaining to see the comments from people who have never spoken to those who've had a life-altering encounter, never been out and found the tracks etc. Instead, they ridicule." The alleged sighting comes several months after an eerie encounter spooked a hunter in Pennsylvania.
