Art League's first 'Sculpture Stroll' showcases Lake Forest landmarks

Spirits were high at the Deer Path Art League's inaugural "Sculpture Stroll" June 11, which attracted dozens of visitors despite the rainy weather.

Organized by Linda Scholly, Lake Forest artist and board member of the Art League, the tour took guests to the many historically significant sculpture installments that dot Lake Forest's landscape.

Guests with umbrellas and rain gear were greeted by a host of volunteer docents who introduced the art and history behind each piece.

Some of Lake Forest's most iconic landmarks, such as the bronze deer sculpture at Triangle Park, were made by unknown artists, while others are known, like "Bird Girl," created by acclaimed sculptor Sylvia Shaw Judson.

Judson, the creator of four other sculptures featured on the tour, such as "Friends" atop the fountain in Market Square, resided at the Ragdale house on Green Bay Road, which currently hosts a respected artists' residency program. Judson has been displayed at the Chicago Art Institute and featured in art books.

The sculptures, according to the Deer Path Art League, are reflective of the cultural heritage of Lake Forest, which has been home to a thriving and noteworthy artist community since the late 19th century. In hosting the "Sculpture Stroll," Scholly and the rest of the volunteers braved the weather to bring awareness to the Lake Forest community of its own rich art works and the historical importance that Lake Forest has had in the world of fine art over many generations.

The Deer Path Art League, founded in 1954, hosts the annual Art Fair on the Square, one of the longest running art shows in the nation, each Labor Day weekend.

Headquartered at the Gorton Center, the organization can be reached at info@deerpathartleague.org.

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