Knoch Knolls Nature Center to Host Art Exhibition Aug. 8-16

Chicago artist Lucy Slivinski is bringing her art to Naperville to be displayed at a nine-day exhibition entitled "All for One" at Knoch Knolls Nature Center August 8-16.

Slivinski created the sawmill sculpture, "Reflections on Scott's Mill," that spans the entry path to Knoch Knolls Nature Center and is the 47th placement of public art in Naperville by Century Walk Corporation . Slivinski specializes in using recycled materials in her artwork, creating beautiful sculptures from discarded objects. In her words, "I am both humbled and amazed at the regenerative power of life.... Through recycling, we have blessed opportunities to reshape things that are perceived as decay, into replenished mysteries of beauty."

Slivinski loves to involve people in creating art. Children and adults are invited to work with her at a special, drop-in workshop on August 8 and 9 at Knoch Knolls Nature Center. Participants will help build a unique, new sculpture from recycled bottles of all shapes and sizes. Interested visitors may join the workshop at any time during the following hours:

Sat., Aug. 8, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Sun., Aug. 9, 12:00 noon-4:30 p.m.

The finished sculpture will be on display with the rest of the exhibition through Sunday, August 16.

Additionally, on the last day of the exhibition, Slivinski will host a "Meet the Artist" session at Knoch Knolls Nature Center at 3:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. There is no admission fee for the exhibition, workshop or Meet the Artist.

The Naperville Park District is asking the community to help collect plastic bottles for the sculpture workshop. We need as many as possible of the following kinds of bottles:

 Water and sports drink bottles of all sizes

 Gallon milk, juice or water jugs

 2-liter soda bottles

Please wash and rinse the bottles as needed and air dry them with the tops off (if you have the top, put it back on the bottle when the bottle is dry).Bring them to the Naperville Park District at these locations:

 Knoch Knolls Nature Center, 320 Knoch Knolls Rd.

 Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center (first floor), 305 W. Jackson Ave.

The Naperville Park District opened Knoch Knolls Nature Center in October 2014. The Nature Center hosts nature preschool and other environmental programs and is free and open daily to the public for drop-in visits. Key sustainable features of the building include a 1,400-gallon cistern that collects water from the roof for reuse in the plumbing system, photovoltaic panels, a green roof, and a permeable paver parking lot.