Bee, butterfly and globe sculptures to decorate the Elgin area for Habitat for Humanity

Chicago Tribune

23-05-2025

Buzzing bumblebee birdbaths, butterfly benches and big globes will be on display in and around Elgin this summer to promote Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley's Carter Crossing project in Carpentersville and to raise funds to build affordable housing.
The display is made up of more than 30 fiberglass sculptures decorated by area artists in the theme of 'Home Planet Earth.' They were unveiled Thursday evening at The Haight in downtown Elgin.
One of them is named 'Buzzin' Springs,' which was painted by Katey Mundorf, a Bartlett resident.
'I found out about the project through a group I belong to, Arts in Bartlett. I wanted to take part because Habitat is such a good cause,' she said.
In keeping with the environmental theme of the project, Mundorf said she was inspired by pollinators. She hopes her work illustrates how humans share the planet with nature.
Mundorf said her piece will be placed in downtown East Dundee. It was sponsored by the Festen Family of Elgin.
Kathryn Festen, who chaired the project, said so far it's netted $179,000 for the organization through sponsorships. Even more money will be generated when the sculptures are auctioned off on Sept. 6.
Crews from Elgin, Carpentersville, East Dundee, West Dundee and Barrington will be placing the sculptures in various areas after Memorial Day. They will be on display until after Labor Day, Festen said.
The Elgin Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is putting together a promotion that will explain more about the sculptures and where to locate them.
Festen said she was delighted with the success of the 'Home Planet Earth' project, for which nearly 160 artists, sponsors and Habitat board members were invited to to celebrate its unveiling.
Steve Kroiss, tech businessman and Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin board member, was at the event in two capacities.
'I have been involved with Habitat,' he said. 'When I found out about the project, I asked if I could be both a sponsor and an artist.'
Kroiss calls his piece 'Earthly Highlights,' and it will be displayed somewhere in Elgin. The globe he painted is stark black and white, not for any thematic reason but because he prefers to create monochromatic artwork, he said.
On the brighter side is a butterfly bench called 'A Place to Land.' Artist Jennifer Wambach wasn't at the kickoff, but representatives for the work's sponsor, First American Bank branch in Carpentersville, did attend.
Senior branch manager Michelle Charron described the piece as bright and cheery and inspired by the monarch, which is the state butterfly of Illinois. It will spend the summer in Carpenter Park.
'We're happy to help in any way we can,' Charron said. 'Working with Habitat is part of our community reinvestment, and the homes being built will help Carpentersville and those in need of housing.'
Carter Crossing is a $12 million project that will have seven new Net Zero homes, according to the Habitat website. For 13 others, Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley has partnered with Nicor Gas and Southern Company to build single-family homes equipped with a combination of renewable, electric and natural gas technologies, the site says.
For more information, go to habitatnfv.org.