"Chicago Rooster" was selected by a committee to be displayed on the Chicago riverwalk, a rather gritty walkway that separates the river from Lower Wacker Drive. As the story goes, the first Mayor Daley envisioned the riverwalk to be a scenic pedestrian path lined with cafes and overlooking a river teeming with swans and boats.

Needless to say, the mayor's vision was never fulfilled. However beautiful, the river is undoubtedly polluted, and often smells of rotting carcasses. The splendor of the river lies not in the waterway, but the gorgeous architecture that lines the river. Boat tours are a fantastic way to see the city. Over the years, the river has cleaned up considerably, and some disjointed pathways connected by stairs form a walkway. A few restaurants have braved the the pigeons and street dwellers to create a bit of a cafe scene down there, however the noise of lower Wacker drowns out conversation and porta potties offer the only restrooms.

Chicago rooster is hung on the cement block wall between Dearborn and Clark Streets. I'm proud to have it there, and I think that this piece portrays some of my reverence for the beautiful city of Chicago, however dysfunctional it is at times.

This bit of writing accompanies the art, which is about 4' X 3' tall:

Roosters wake the world. Or we think they do. Decorative and proud, the rooster is a symbol of intricate beauty and hope in the world of birds in spite of their useless wings and quirky gait. Colorful and diverse, these masculine creatures project a fierce individuality and bold personality. If the beautiful, broad-shouldered city we live in was a bird, it would surely be a rooster. Beleaguered by unpredictable and often punishing weather, Chicago’s hearty citizens are forced to look beyond the obvious veneer of sun, comfort and affluence to find beauty in details of the corner of a building, the graceful arch of a bridge, the silhouette of the skyline, the faces of people, and the rhythmic rumble of the el train. If you close your eyes, the music of the city creates a soundscape that changes from minute to minute. The rooster, though not graceful like a swan, or iconic like an eagle, represents an earthy, down-home, celebrational yet dignified beauty. One of the greatest aspects of Chicago is the mosaic of cultures found here. Roosters, like people, come in all shapes and sizes and colors. And they’re all beautiful. Standing under the el train on a misty Spring evening, sometimes arrogant and pompous, but always sincere, a Chicago rooster listens to the sounds of the city.

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