Friends of Community Public Art artist Sarah Furst created the Grand Prairie Elementary School Sculpture/Mosaic column entitled The Creative Spirit Soars. The 5’H x 4’Wx 3’D cold cast bronze sculpture rests on 4’H x 2’D ceramic covered mosaic column. Students under the direction of Sarah Furst and art teacher Melissa Munch created the mosaic. FCPA artist Dante DiBartolo created the armature. This sculpture was sponsored by the City of Joliet , District 1 Councilman Joe Shetina and is to be located in front of the school at 15732 Howard St., Plainfield, IL .

The sculpture features a life-sized seated young student who is holding a book in his hand as he gazes in wonder at a flock of birds in flight that have emerged from this open book. On the student’s other side plant forms emerge from another open book. These forms symbolize the importance of reading to intellectual growth and to the imagination.

Please join the City of Joliet , the Grand Prairie Elementary School and Friends of Community Public Art at the dedication ceremony of this life-size sculpture on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 at 5:15 p.m. in front of the school.

For further information contact Friends of Community Public Art, 310 N. Ottawa Street , phone (815) 722-4140. Visit them at www.FCPAonline.org.