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The Lincoln Park Conservatory


Lincoln Park Conservatory and Gardens Archival print 18h x 28w  unframed $800  The Lincoln Park Conservancy commissioned Illinois Artist Laureate, Kay Smith, to capture this iconic Chicago landmark with her brush. Carrying her paints, paper and water jar, she surveyed the scene to find the best view of her subject. She settled down facing north, with Von Schiller’s statute on the left balanced by a large shade tree on the right.

The Lincoln Park Conservancy commissioned Illinois Artist Laureate, Kay Smith, to capture this iconic Chicago landmark with her brush. Carrying her paints, paper and water jar, she surveyed the scene to find the best view of her subject. She settled down facing north, with Von Schiller’s statute on the left balanced by a large shade tree on the right. Kay framed the foreground in cool tones, and as we look through this opening, the colors of the Victorian glass building and the glorious flower gardens burst before us. In the center sits the beloved Bates Fountain, sometimes called the “Children’s Fountain” for its whimsical birds and cattails circling the mer-boy splashing in the water.

Probably no other scene symbolizes our love for Lincoln Park better than this one. It was 1887 when architects Joseph Silbee and M.E. Bell were hired by the city to add a greenhouse to the park campus. The formal gardens were created to be the pathway to the newly constructed glass Palm House in 1890 and the Fern Room in 1895. The building would continue to expand into what we recognize today as the Conservatory. 

The Conservancy owns Kay’s original watercolor, and of the limited edition prints, only two are left for purchase. The prints, on archival paper, are 18” x 28” including a 2” white border. Own an afternoon in the park!

Kay Smith Artist Laureate of IL Independence Hall Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Kay Smith Artist-Laureate-of-Illinois

The Artist

Kay Smith has lived and painted in Chicago for over 70 years. An esteemed teacher, historian and lecturer, as well as painter, Kay is our Artist Laureate of Illinois, a lifetime appointment. She was also awarded the national George Washington Honor Medal.

Kay’s artwork has enjoyed major exhibits at the Harry S Truman Presidential Library and Museum, the Yorktown Victory Center and the Illinois Governor’s Mansion, among dozens of other venues. Most recently, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library commissioned her “Red Tails Escorting the B-17s” watercolor, honoring the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, which now hangs in its oral history room.

To view the entire Collection and discuss possibilities for its display, preservation or purchase please contact Kay Smith by text at 773.709.2690   email: akaysmith@att.net or visit her website at kaysmithartist.com    Printable Version

https://kaysmithartist.com


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