Folk artist creates community puzzle mural in Elgin for 250th anniversary celebration
All the pieces of Elgin came together Saturday as a new public art piece was unveiled in DuPage Court in downtown Elgin.
A giant puzzle adorned with an original cityscape of Elgin by Eric Dowdle, a nationally renowned folk artist, was fully unveiled with the help of Elgin Mayor David Kaptain.
The original artwork, created as part of Dowdle’s national “Land That I Love” tour commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, featured Elgin landmarks, schools, businesses, traditions and cultural touchstones.
Elgin was the first community in Illinois to participate in the project.
Dowdle emphasized the importance of community and teamwork, using the analogy of a 60,000-piece puzzle to illustrate how each individual contributes to the whole.
“It takes all of us,” Dowdle said. “We’re all different. We all fit in different places. And believe it or not, if you’re not here, it makes a difference.”
Attendees viewed the original artwork alongside an 8-foot-by-10-foot partial completed puzzle wall. Puzzles in both 500-piece and 1,000-piece editions are available for sale at local businesses and include an insert identifying the many locations and points of interest featured within the artwork.
The puzzles will be available only locally for the first year, before then becoming available worldwide.
Dowdle said he visited Elgin on his own multiple times throughout the creative process, exploring the community and researching its history firsthand before creating the piece.
“I applaud your mayor and everybody, this is a city that truly knows how to make everybody feel welcome,” Dowdle said.
The celebration also marked the installation of The Heart of Elgin, a series of artist-designed maintenance hole covers created by local artist Alisa Duda. The permanent public art installation celebrates the architecture, history and character of downtown Elgin, using a commonly overlooked item as the canvas.