Did you know that in Schaumburg Illinois we have our own little version of Stonehenge?
Yes, that's right. Schaumburg is home to works of art from around the world at the Chicago Athenaeum Museum right on our doorstep. Peacefully wooded and shaded pathway to view the gathered arts at your leisure. Bet you didn't know it was there!
Sculpture Park is located on the grounds of the Prairie Center for the Arts (just south-east along the pathway) offering 15 sculptures from international artists bringing the world to our little corner.
Three sculptures are my favorites. One looks like our own version of Stonehenge complete with blue 
stones! It's called 'Vinland' done in 1999 by Jarle Rosseland of Oslo, Norway.
'Vineland' commemorates the 1,000-year anniversary of the Viking explorer, Leif Eiriksson and his discovery of the Americas in the year 1001 AD. Fifteen giant stones in varying heights, from 6 to 15 feet, are arranged in the outline of a Viking ship with cryptic signs and the position of the stars and planets in the years 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 AD highlighted in gold leaf.
This sculpture reminds me of the Moai on Easter Island. It's called 'Skulaskeid' by Pall Gudmundsson 
from Iceland in 2000.
The eight-ton gigantic 6-foot head resembles an ancient face from Norse mythology. Quarried at the artist's studio at Husafell valley in Western Iceland, the name of the sculpture comes from an old legend of an outlaw, Skuli, who escaped his enemies riding the good horse "Sorli" over the rough trail of Kaldidalur, from Pingvellir to Husafell, where the horse died from exhaustion. The Icelandic poet, Grimur Thomsen (1820-1896) wrote about this epic tale from Viking times.
Another favorite of mine is 'Thought-Rise in Vacuum' by Hans-Christian Berg of Finland and done in 2001. It's a giant rolling baseball made out of 'paper clips!' I think it's wild!
My absolute favorite that I wanted to include in this post is not 
actually in the Sculpture Park itself but in front of the municipal building near the swan pond and bridge. It's called 'Ecce Hora' or 'Behold the Hour' by Christine Rojek.
The concept of the piece is based on making a decision says Rojek. She got attached to the idea of 'now or never' and the passage of time and every day counts for this unique sundial piece.
Sculpture Park Brochure
The sculpture 'Ecce Hora' has been featured in the Daily Herald publication:
Schaumburg - live, work, play of October 2008
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Lyn,
Is that 'Ecce Hora' in the background at the top of your blog? It's beautiful.
Mike in Tucson
Yes Mike, thanks for noticing. Tweeked it here and there and voila.