STEELROOTS

I had a rare off day on Thursday and made the most of it. The weather in Chicago was once again fabulous beyond words. Moderate temperature, low humidity, and blue skies in every direction. I set out for an urban hike before 8:00 AM.  I expected that I would probably log about ten miles. I was enjoying myself so much, that I didn't return home until I had hiked twenty miles. One of my favorite pictures that I took during the day was me standing under STEELROOTS. This massive sculpture guards the Peggy Notebaert Museum at the corner of Cannon Drive and Fullerton Avenue.

• Artwork Created : 2007
• Artwork Installed: 2009
• Artist : Steve Tobin

from the Chicago Park District website...

Steelroots is one of several tree root sculptures produced by Pennsylvania artist Steve Tobin (b. 1957). After receiving a degree in theoretical mathematics from Tulane University in 1979, Tobin decided to become an artist. He studied art at the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington, and the New York Experimental Glass Workshop in Brooklyn. He went on to receive numerous fellowships and artist-in-residencies, and in 1989 he was the first-ever foreign artist invited to build his own studio in Murano, Italy, the town outside of Venice renowned for its glassmaking.

Tobin soon began exploring other materials in his artworks, including clay, bronze, and steel. In 1994, he established his own foundry. By the late 1990s, Tobin’s work began to focus on nature—specifically the fascinating and beautiful forms that are created through natural processes. In 2004, Tobin received international attention when he installed his bronze sculpture Trinity Root near Ground Zero in New York City. The work is cast from the stump and roots of a historic sycamore tree that stood in front of St. Paul’s Chapel directly across the street from the World Trade Center. The tree protected the church from destruction during the 9/11 attacks. “The function for me of roots is to show the power of the unseen,” the artist told the New York Times. “And on 9/11, we found out about the power of all our unseen connections, the things that nurture us that are hidden below the surface.”

By the time Tobin completed Trinity Root, he had begun developing a broader series of sculptures exploring the theme of tree roots. In an artistic statement, he explained, “I am interested in making pieces that function in any time period: prehistory, present, or the future, working with nature-related images. For example, I have turned a root system into bronze, so that you can see it on the surface of the earth. In a sense it allows you to travel into the shadows, into the underground.” He created a group of sculptures called Walking Roots, and a larger series known as Steelroots. These sculptures have been exhibited in many different cities including Brooklyn, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Chicago in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

The artist provided this Steelroots sculpture on long-term loan to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in 2009. At that time, he was working on a large retrospective exhibition of Steelroots at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, and he wanted to have a visible connection with that exhibition in Chicago. The exhibit, which opened in 2010, includes a total of fourteen tree root sculptures of various finishes, sizes, and configurations. Some are as large as forty feet tall. The Steelroots sculpture near the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has an earthy brown finish and is composed of recycled steel.

According to the MapMyWalk application that I use to trace my hikes, my  caloric expenditure for this twenty mile urban hike was 3500. So did I lose a pound today? I don't know. But I do know this. I definitely did not gain any weight on Thursday.  This twenty mile urban hike amuses me as I was never more than three miles from home - lots of zigging and zagging!

I am a quirky guy. When I hike, I almost always try to never cross my path where I have been before. This often becomes much more difficult when I am hiking real trails at real parks, but it is something that I have no trouble accomplishing when I am urban hiking.

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...just hanging around at North Pond, Lincoln Park, Chicago

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Your Food Diary For:

Thursday, October 19, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Grits	300	66	5	6	930	3
	300	66	5	6	930	3
L U N C H
Oki Sushi - Tuna Roll Maki w/Avocado	350	45	8	28	0	0
Vita Coco - 100% Pure Coconut Water 330ml	120	30	0	0	74	30
Whole Foods - Cherries Milk Chocolate, 9 pcs	180	25	10	2	10	21
	650	100	18	30	84	51
D I N N E R
Weight Watcher's - Cabbage Soup	200	20	0	5	157	11
Baked Homeade Mastaccioli	400	46	10	0	873	33
	600	66	10	5	1,030	44
S N A C K S
Dark Chocolate Coconut Bites	200	21	13	2	25	18
	200	21	13	2	25	18
Totals	1,750	253	46	43	2,069	116
Your Daily Goal	5,155	644	172	258	2,300	193
Remaining	3,405	391	126	215	231	77
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 3,225 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 193.4 lbs in 5 weeks 

LARGE WALKING FIGURE

I am a walking figure.
Even though I weigh in the neighborhood of 240 or so pounds (down nearly 70 pounds when I started on December 24, 2014) I am still large.
So, technically, I guess one can say that I am a large walking figure.
Yesterday during an urban hike along the lakefront, I discovered the real LARGE WALKING FIGURE.

Long before I 'discovered' the 15.6' LARGE WALKING FIGURE, the lake was experiencing some uncommon waves crashing into the beach as the winds were blowing towards shore.

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Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Eggs - Poached, 4	300	2	20	26	599	2
Sourdough Toast	100	20	1	4	0	0
	400	22	21	30	599	2
L U N C H
Johnsonville - Polish Kielbasa	220	3	20	9	510	1
Bacon, 1 slice	40	0	3	3	175	0
Weight Watcher's Cabbage Soup	200	20	0	5	157	11
Vita Coco - Coconut Water	100	28	0	0	0	0
	560	51	23	17	842	12
D I N N E R
Johnsonville - Polish Kielbasa	220	3	20	9	510	1
Bacon, 1 slice	40	0	3	3	175	0
Weight Watcher's Cabbage Soup	200	20	0	5	157	11
Pork Italian Style Meatballs, 2	200	3	16	12	525	1
	660	26	39	29	1,367	13
S N A C K S
Chocolate Nut Crunch Granola	200	21	12	4	20	16
Whole Foods - Banana Chips	200	23	13	1	0	13
	400	44	25	5	20	29
Totals	2,020	143	108	81	2,828	56
Your Daily Goal	4,544	568	151	228	2,300	170
Remaining	2,524	425	43	147	-528	114
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 2,614 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 207.4 lbs in 5 weeks     

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OH DEAR

One thing that amuses me about my urban hikes is that I often walk out my front door and I am not quite sure if I should start out walking north, south, east or west. I often have no plan and I make decisions about where to go as I am out and about. Yesterday I was walking along the river in downtown Chicago when I spotted a giant deer.  Naturally, once I spotted this in the distance I crossed the nearest bridge to get up close and check it out. This piece of outdoor art is 12 feet tall and 20 feet long. I always enjoy finding something unexpected. 

“Deer” by artist Tony Tasset, made of fiberglass, epoxy and paint, stands guard along the Riverwalk near Wolf Point.

I set out for my urban hike before dinner. I had not walked or hiked 12 miles since early July. 

Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Egg - Poached Egg	300	2	20	25	629	1
Quaker Oats instant grits - Instant Grits	200	44	3	4	620	0
	500	46	23	29	1,249	1
L U N C H
Trader Joe's - Mahi Mahi Burgers, 2	220	2	10	30	640	0
Little Salad Bar - Asian Chopped Salad	385	46	21	7	1,190	25
	605	48	31	37	1,830	25
D I N N E R
Campbell's Manhattan Clam Chowder	240	36	6	10	1,600	6
Trader Joe's - Salmon Burger, 2 burger	220	6	7	30	660	2
Trader Joes Classic Original Water Crackers	120	24	2	4	80	0
	580	66	15	44	2,340	8
Totals	1,685	160	69	110	5,419	34
Your Daily Goal	3,753	469	125	188	2,300	140
Remaining	2,068	309	56	78	-3,119	106
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,823 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 222.1 lbs in 5 weeks     

25°F

Just three days ago, I set out for a walk with a pair of shorts and a long sleeve shirt in temperatures that were 65°F. Yesterday morning, when I set out at 7:15AM for a morning urban hike around the Chicago lakefront the temperature was 25°F. That is a bitter biting cold. I set out with four layers of clothing on my upper body, two layers of clothing on my legs and I wore a hat over my hat. As I was dressed properly, I was able to neutralize the cold and I did manage to hike a full 14 miles before I returned home for a well-deserved, well-earned and delicious lunch prepared by my wife.  During my hike I continued to have some fun with the timer on my camera phone. In the evening, my daughter wanted to take a walk after she completed her homework. By that time, the temperatures had rebounded back up to 32°F. We managed to walk over to Mariano's Grocery Store, but we stretched out the walk to five miles before we returned home.

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During my hike when I was passing through GreekTown, I spotted a public piece of art which looked like a 'flying monkey' until I approached it. It turns out that this artwork is called: WINGED GLORY.

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Checking out Winged Glory

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Before 'Winged Glory' took up residence in Chicago, it spent some time in Florida

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Morning Hike - 14 miles

Evening Hike - 5 Miles with my daughter

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Your Food Diary For:

Sunday, November 20, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Quaker Oats - Maple & Brown Sugar	480	96	6	12	780	36
	480	96	6	12	780	36
L U N C H
Johnsonville - Polish Kielbasa Link	300	5	26	11	960	2
Eggs - Large Egg - Scrambled	300	3	23	20	290	3
	600	8	49	31	1,250	5
D I N N E R
Sushi - Salmon Avocado Roll	500	88	14	20	863	14
	500	88	14	20	863	14
S N A C K S
Klondike - Original Vanilla Ice Cream	500	70	34	6	170	56
Hershey's - Hershey's Special Dark	570	75	36	6	45	63
	1,070	145	70	12	215	119
Totals	2,650	337	139	75	3,108	174
Your Daily Goal	4,980	622	166	250	2,300	186
Remaining	2,330	285	27	175	-808	12
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 3,050 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 190.8 lbs in 5 weeks 

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
14 MILE URBAN HIKE	203	2,492
5 MILE URBAN HIKE	90	748
Daily Total / Goal	293 / 30	3,240 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1315 / 210	14,933 / 4,130

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When I set out for my morning hike the temperature was 25°F although with  11mph winds, it felt more like 15°F. That is cold.

from greektownchicago.org

On May 10, 2016, the sculpture titled Winged Glory was installed in Chicago’s Greek Town as part of Chicago Sculpture Exhibit and with sponsorship by the SSA #16.[Special Service Area - Greektown] It sits at the intersection (southeast corner) of Monroe Street and Halsted Street. Created by Jack Howard-Potter, it is on many levels, an inspiring and inspired artwork.

Meet the Artist

Jack Howard-Potter was born and raised in New York City. He earned a BA in Art History and Sculpture from Union College (Schenectady, NY). After college, Jack moved to Colorado and worked with a blacksmith creating furniture and learning about the properties of steel, the medium that he would eventually use to create his art. In 2001, he enrolled in anatomy and drawing classes at the Art Students League in New York City to further his skills as a figurative artist and understand how the human form works and moves. Famed artist and instructor at the League for 40 years, Anthony Palumbo, selected Jack to work as his assistant and eventually became his mentor. For two years Jack immersed himself in the human form, sketching five days each week and completing thousands of drawings. It was this practice that gave him the in-depth knowledge of human anatomy that can be seen in his work today.

Jack has been making and displaying his original sculpture since 1997. He has permanent and long-term displays in sculpture parks, municipalities and galleries across the country including Marco Island and Coral Springs, Florida; San Antonio, Texas; Pemberton, New Jersey; Salem, New York; Jackson, Tennessee; Glenwood Springs, Colorado; Flossmoor, Illinois and Blaine, Washington. https://steelstatue.com

The City of Chicago SSA# 16 is delighted to have Jack’s creation, “Winged Glory,” on display in Greektown.

Jack Speaks on Winged Glory

Winged Glory was created in 2010.  The whole of this sculpture is formed with 3/8th cold-rolled round steel rods and 20 gauge sheet metal.  All of its forms were bent by me and by my hand.  Before coming to Chicago’s Greek Town,Winged Glory was displayed in Brooklyn, NY, Georgia, Sebring, Florida and Lakeland, Florida.

Winged Glory was envisioned by me as a simple object to convey a strong quiet sense of calm and power.  Making a seated male figure with large gold wings seemed to me to embody a sense of reserved energy.  The figure is not posing or grandstanding but simply sitting in a way we can all relate to.  Are the wings imaginary or real for this particular man?  Does he merely believe he possesses these massive powerful wings or are they actually a part of his body?  These questions are the thoughts I am trying to provoke with this sculpture.

Artist’s Statement

I try to capture movement in a medium that does not move. Using steel which is an inherently rigid material I work to convey a sense of fluid action in space. My work explores the wide range of movement of the human figure informed through my study of drawing the human anatomy. My sculptures seek to convey the motion of the body in extremely stressful and beautiful positions; the moment that a dancer is at the peak of a jump, the weightless split second before a body succumbs to gravity. I am describing an ephemeral action in steel to convey this moment for eternity. I want the viewer to visualize the actions that led up to a given pose and the actions that will follow it. Using the brightly colored surfaces separates the figures from the landscape, making them stand out in much the same way people do when they wear clothes. The brilliant colors serve as protection for the steel from the corrosive outdoor environment as well as adding excitement to the steel to aid in the sense of movement. The work explores the range of possibilities and flexibility of the material as well as the subject matter. The display of my work in the outdoor public arena is the perfect place for the inherent academic roots to be brought to every person in an easily recognizable and accessible way, bridging the gap between the intimidating gallery or fine art institution and the general public.

Experience Winged Glory in Chicago’s Greek Town

Chicago’s Greek Town (a lively area anchored by the Hellenic Museum and a host of fabulous traditional Greek restaurants, bars and shops) is made even more exciting with the installation of Winged Glory. This inspired artwork will be on display from May 2016 through May 2017.  We hope that this short introduction to the artist, Jack Howard-Potter, will encourage everyone to explore and reflect on his masterful, meditative creation.  And, we invite postings on your experience.

Note:  Another of Jack’s sculptures – “Swinging II” was installed on May 10, 2016. It sits on the 4800 block of North Damen Avenue in Chicago. This joyful artwork is fully kinetic.

– Eve Moran, long-time commissioner on the SSA # 16 and passionate art-lover.

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