Lincoln Park's Portrait Statues

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Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year Award Winner!! “Giants in the Park” won in the non-traditionally published non-fiction category.

http://windycitywriters.com/blog/2012/1/4/the-sculpting-of-giants-in-the-park.html

http://windycitywriters.com/blog/2011/11/29/and-the-winners-are.html

Located two-plus miles north of Chicago’s downtown, Lincoln Park names both a neighborhood and a park — Chicago’s largest park, boasting some six miles of lakefront.

This big-city playground proudly hosts sixteen vintage portrait statues. The reader can read all about them –- the heroes and the monuments — amid the watercolor-rendered illustrations of this guidebook: Giants in the Park: A Guide to Portrait Statues in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. For curious locals and interested tourists, this self-guided, walking-tour publication combines biography, Chicago history, and sculpture content. Seven missing statues are detailed as well.

As for the route, this sculpture tour zigzags north and loops back south to exceed a distance of four miles, so it is perhaps best accomplished over several outings — or on a bike!

And so I invite you to Lincoln Park, the park, to see Chicago through the prism of our forefathers’ heroes.

Krista  August

Paperback: 118 pages

Publisher: Lincoln Park Press (February 1, 2011)

Dimensions: 5.75 x 7.75″

Events for 2012

• Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year ceremony, Book Cellar, Lincoln Square, Saturday, January 14, 2012 – All four award winners are invited to read from their books.
• Book talk/ slide show presentation with the Oasis Men’s Group, Thursday, March 1st, 10:30
• Book talk/ slide show presentation with the Oasis Men’s Group, Wednesday, March 7th, 10:30
• IL Reading Council Conference/ Literacy in the Land of Lincoln/ Krista August and Leslie Pruitt (of Everett Elementary, Lake Forest) will present “Discovering the Giants in YOUR Park”: Connect literacy, social studies, and the arts while studying portrait statues, vintage monuments, and sculpture.  Statuary can inspire students of all ages to extend learning through reading, writing, oral presentation, artwork, and song.  Springfield, IL, March 15, 1:45 – 2:45
• IL Reading Council Conference/ Literacy in the Land of Lincoln/ Illinois Author/Illustrator Luncheon, March 16, 2012
• April 13, Book talk/slide show with 3rd graders from Everett Elementary in Lake Forest
• April 28 – Christopher House Gala, art and book sales for this worthy cause
• May 5th, 1:00, Slide show presentation for Artrageous, Lincoln Park. For details, visit http://visitclarkstreet.com/upcoming-events-pages-148.php?id=784
• Book talk with The Woman’s Club, Hamilton, Ohio, May 8, 2012
• June 9th and 10th, Printers Row Lit Fest…Look for me at the Illinois Women’s Press Association tent.

More photos on Events Page and School Connections page.

Greg Borzo, author of The Chicago “L” and “Where to Bike Chicago: Best Biking in City and Suburbs”  reviews Giants in the Park:

Little book, big story

Giants in the Park brings the statues of Lincoln Park to life.  It includes a collection of crisp, clear and well-researched stories about the people depicted by these bronze figures as well as the people who funded and sculpted these historical treasurers.

Who knew that the park is home to 16 portrait statues, depicting giants from LaSalle to Lincoln and Shakespeare to Sheridan? With this book in hand, one could visit them all over a day or two – as well as the sites of seven statues that have gone missing!

But Giants in the Park is more than a guidebook. It’s an important contribution to our understanding of the times and events, donors and artists, social movements and political forces that not only account for these precious works of public art but also contributed to Chicago’s growth and development. As these statues tell their stories through Krista August, we learn more about our remarkable city.

As a docent for the Chicago History Museum who used to give tours of Lincoln Park, I wish this book had been published long ago.

This lovely book, which is accented by the author’s watercolors of the statues, belongs on everyone’s Chicago-history bookshelf.

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July, 2011, “Giants in the Park” was presented to audiences at five local venues: a DePaul University graduate education classroom, The Book Cellar — Lincoln Square, the Woman’s Athletic Club, the Heritage Gallery, and a Mather’s Cafe.  Thank you ALL for having me!

June, 2011, both the Blackstone Hotel and Art de Triumph/ Artful Framer Studios hosted a “Giants in the Park” book signing event.  Thank you to both of these Chicago fixtures.

May 6, 2011, the University Club of Chicago graciously hosted a “Giants in the Park” learn-at-lunch.  Thank you for the opportunity and interesting discussion that followed.

Thank You to the Glessner House Museum for the opportunity to present a slideshow presentation to their audience, April 21, 2011. The following link to the Glessner House blog relates Prairie Avenue’s connection to Lincoln Park’s Alexander Hamilton statue. http://glessnerhouse.blogspot.com/2011/04/hamilton-statue-in-lincoln-park-has.html

I would also like to send a heartfelt “Thank you” to Ms. Pruitt and the 3rd grade classrooms at Everett Elementary in Lake Forest.  On April 8, students performed original music, composed by Ms. Pruitt, celebrating Lincoln Park’s vintage portrait sculpture.  They also led an audience of more than 75 parents and school personnel in singing patriotic songs, the same songs sung at statue unveiling ceremonies many years ago. Learn more on my School Connections page. Select link to hear excerpts from students’ recitial: http://everett3rdgrade.andrewpclarke.com/index-playlist.htm

Thank you to everyone who helped with and participated in a successful book launch at Bridgeview Bank on April 7.  The bank estimates that 300-plus people were in attendance.  I am personally grateful to Bridgeview Bank– Lincoln Park for the opportunity to present my work. Event photos are posted on my Events Page  and on the Lincoln Park Press(renamed Giants in the Park) facebook page. Original watercolors and prints continue to be on exhibit at Bridgeview Bank, through June 20th !

Stores Carrying Giants in the Park

To purchase Giants in the Park online, select “Add to Cart”or email august.kb@lincolnparkstatues.com to initiate a purchase. To purchase at an event, see my  Events Page.

Local shops carrying Giants in the Park are:

Art de Triumph, located at 2938 N. Clark Street

Shop at the Blackstone Hotel at 636 S. Michigan Avenue

The Newberry Library Bookstore at 60 W. Walton Street

The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square, 4736-38 North Lincoln Avenue

Chicago Architecture Foundation Shop at 224 S. Michigan

Dutch Bike Co. at 2010 W. Pierce Ave

Heritage Gallery at 1915 W. 103rd Street.

TWOSIDED – cards, gifts, antiques and artful things at 2958 N. Clark

Poison Cup Wine Shop at 1128 W. Armitage