Preserve Collaborative, selected to create art installation as part of Farm/Art DTour

Lake Zurich residents Cathy McCauley and Shari Gullo, and Pamela Self of Arlington Heights, collectively known as Preserve Collaborative, have been selected to create a large-scale temporary art installation as part of the Farm/Art DTour, a free, self-guided art drive event Oct. 5-14, in southern Sauk County, Wisconsin, created and hosted by the Wormfarm Institute.

Entitled “Preserve,” the installation pays tribute to the area's natural diversity and draws inspiration from the wisdom of conservationist Aldo Leopold, who advocated for the preservation of every species. “Preserve” attempts to connect visitors to the natural world and to Leopold’s imperative to save “every cog and wheel.”

The design of “Preserve” was inspired by the Aldo Leopold Shack. Located in Sauk County, Wisconsin, the Shack was once a chicken coop that Leopold renovated into a living space in the 1930s and was used by his family on weekends and summers. It served as the backdrop for Leopold’s best-selling book, “A Sand County Almanac,” which has sold more than two million copies worldwide and celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. In 1978, the Shack was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The installation is an approximate replica of Leopold’s Shack, built with standard lumber and in modular sections for easy assembly. Upon completion, the structure will house approximately 1,000 glass canning jars displaying transparency images of almost a quarter of the species found in Sauk County, Wisconsin.

Sunlight passing through the images will enhance their vibrant colors and heighten the visual experience. The structure will be framed with chicken wire and reclaimed wood, connecting it to the Leopold Shack’s origin as a chicken coop and emphasizing the importance of preservation.

Pine cones placed near the bottom of the installation offer a nod to the more than 40,000 pine trees Leopold and his family planted on their property. Empty jars placed on the shelves are meant to highlight the ongoing challenge of species loss while an open roof symbolizes humanity’s poor record of living up to its environmental responsibilities.

In February, the team submitted their installation proposal to the Wormfarm Institute to be considered for the biennial Farm/Art DTour. They were alerted at the end of March that they were selected as finalists from more than 150 submissions.

Two members of the collaborative team were invited to attend an artist orientation in Sauk County, Wisconsin, before developing a full proposal. McCauley and Gullo attended. When they returned, the team worked on their final proposal and submitted it in May. They were informed in June that their proposal had been selected for the 2024 event.

“It was like calling a dream into reality. We had all these ideas that came together. The idea had all the right ingredients at the right time,” said McCauley. “I let go of seeing myself as an artist a long time ago, after I graduated college. Being selected and creating this installation has helped me recognize the artist that still lives within.”

Construction of the modular pieces of the installation began immediately upon being chosen and continued through the summer. All the pieces have been completed, and the team is now finalizing small details. They will install the art piece in Sauk County, Wisconsin, in late September and early October with help from family and friends.

McCauley, Gullo and Self have collaborated in the past; they spearheaded the Ela Peace Project, a peace initiative that culminated in installing Illinois' tallest peace pole in Lake Zurich, and establishing a community garden in Hawthorn Woods in honor of renowned birder Phoebe Snetsinger.

The Farm/Art DTour is a free, self-guided art drive event Oct. 5-14 in southern Sauk County, Wisconsin. Created and hosted by the Wormfarm Institute, the 50-mile route winds through working farmlands dotted with artworks by local and national artists installed in farm fields, pasture performances, local food markets and more along county roads. Inviting thousands to appreciate the art of what farmers do everyday, the Farm/Art DTour invites you to come closer to the land that supports us all.

For information, find Preserve Collaborative on Instagram @preserve.collaborative.art and visit wormfarminstitute.org for more details about the Farm/Art DTour and where to obtain a map of the DTour route.