Local sculptors show their work at DuPage arts show

Kevin Wei, a young sculptor from Naperville, hopes his artwork can become more than a hobby.

"I definitely want to pursue it going forward," said the 17-year-old junior at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville. "But it's hard to tell how realistic that is."

Wei and more than two dozen other artists had a chance to get their artistic careers off to a good start during the DuPage Invitational Sculpture and 3-D Art Show held Saturday in Lombard's Lilacia Park.

The second annual sculpture show featured works from student sculptors and well-established artists. The event, organized by representatives from a variety of Lombard-area organizations, is designed to give artists from DuPage County a chance to show their work in a public setting, and to raise awareness about the importance of supporting the arts locally.

Cooler-than-normal temperatures and a cold drizzle kept some folks away from the event Saturday, but artists said the crowds were steady, if not overwhelming.

Wei exhibited "Metamorphosis," a sculpture that took him about six months to complete. The work features a piece of shiny amethyst crystal caged inside a steel circle. Wei said he was driven by the idea of the brilliant natural substance locked inside a gray, artificial structure.

"Steel is my favorite material to work with, because you can do so many different types of things with it," he said. "You can create hard, geometric shapes or organic, flowing curves."

Jess Campillo, a senior at Westmont High School, had three pieces for sale, all of them featuring a different base material. He said his piece called "Dragonfly," made out of common sheet metal, was his favorite.

"I like the look of it, and the fact that I created this out of nothing," said Campillo, who plans to attend the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design after graduating from high school.