Artist: James Haire About: I have been a working artist for over thirty years creating figurative bronze sculptures. The inspiration for my work comes from a wide variety of sources. I enjoy trying to capture the numerous aspects of the human spirit. Many of my sculptures have been commissioned and I have placed numerous sculptures in public settings throughout the country.

This sculpture is part of Quad City Arts Public Sculpture leasing Program and will be on display through May, 2026. "A young rough and tumble boy reads a book, proving there is a book for Everyone."

Artist: Peter Gray

About: A steel sculptor with a multi-disciplinary science background, Peter Gray explores the intersection of art and science dealing with evolution, mutation and the natural world. Biological processes can be seen as forms of art. He uses steel because it is a strong versatile material. Art can be a powerful tool for social change. His work often deals with issues of social justice and environmentalism. Art has the power to connect people and to create a sense of community. His work can create a dialogue between the viewer and the sculpture exploring ways we can connect with the natural world.His large-scale public sculptures are in the permanent collections of sculpture parks, midwestern cities, California, two Chicago public schools, Chicago State University, a CTA subway station and a UC mini-park.

Sculpture Information: "Agua Dorada" was created to emphasize the importance and value of our need and perception of water. We have reached a point in many regions of the United States and the world where water has the value of gold and life without it is perilous. The concept for this sculpture is a riff on the “black gold” oil-based products we have been using and burning since 1859. Even though oil has enhanced many aspects of our lives, it has led to irreparable environmental damage and issues.

Artist: Ben Pierce

About: Ben Pierce is a veteran and Missouri native who found an outlet for his internal struggle by creating sculpture. “ I have been living with depression for many years (way before I began making art). Only recently have I begun to speak openly about it with friends and family. A lot of mental illness is suffered in silence- I am choosing to use my art as a way to help others speak up. Maybe someone will hear about this or read this and feel HOPE. You are not alone! Or through my openness about depression it will allow others to not suffer alone by giving them courage to seek help or confide in someone. Maybe this can open that conversation for them. My art/sculptures possibly would not have been created if it weren't for my need to externalize what I go through inside. I hope you find your own voice and can endure any obstacle that comes your way”.

Sculpture Information: I wanted to create a sculpture that was both true to my design aesthetic, functional, and identifiable as a bench so people would instantly recognize and utilize the design, hopefully elevating the normal bench sitting experience by at least a little.

This sculpture is part of Quad City Arts Public Sculpture leasing Program and will be on display through May, 2026.

Artist: Riley Jones, ASPHATE, Limsone About: Graduated from Rock Island High School. Riley is the daughter of Jerry and Kathy Jones of Rock Island.

Details: Created by 16-year-old Riley Jones, in collaboration with professional muralists Dana Harrison (Limone) & Brandon Warner (ASPHATE), the new mural is an adaptation of Jones’s artwork originally titled "Black Pride." A winner of the 2021 Congressional Art Competition, the original piece was selected by US Representative Cheri Bustos to be displayed at the US Capitol in the summer of 2021.

Artist: Tommy Riefe About: Riefe was born in Davenport, Iowa, in 1991, and currently living in his hometown. He attended the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Art, Washington University, in St. Louis (MFA Fellow, 2017) and studied at the University of Northern Iowa (BFA, Art History and Sculpture, 2014). Since then, he has been group exhibitions at the Kemper Art Museum in St. Louis, and in outdoor shows in Knoxville, Tennessee; Hutchinson Kansas; Mankato, Minnesota; Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Riefe has public sculptures in the collections of Fort Dodge, IA (2021), Hutchinson, KS (2021), Lakewood, MN (2019), Iowa State University (2018), Minnesota State University (2018), Laneken, Belgium (2018), Cedar Falls, IA (2017) Rock Island, IL (2016), and Sioux City, IA (2016) 

Sculpture Information: Riefe’s art has been driven by his interests in perception, space, and time. He strives to make art relevant by facilitating interactive and insightful experiences. Art, for him, is a way of spurring curiosity, dialog and creating a sense of place. Riefe’s work spans from intimate objects to large exterior site-specific sculptures. His practice uses form and material to connect viewers to the present moment.

Artist Name: Don Horstman About: As a sculptor and painter, I present simple, bold concepts that are easily comprehended. This same theme carries over in my jewelry which I like to call body armor. My art is sometimes created from industrial scrap which brings new life to the castoff of industry. My sculpture has been exhibited in many city-sponsored outdoor exhibits and purchased by private collectors. My work is in several museum collections.

Sculpture Information: Horstman offers a representation of texture, light, mass and translucent space in the minimalist tradition. His work reflects human interactions and emotions. The movement of water is seen throughout this sculpture.

Artist: Peter Gray About: A steel sculptor with a multi-disciplinary science background. He explores the intersection of art and science dealing with evolution, mutation and the natural world. Biological processes can be seen as forms of art. He uses steel because it is a strong versatile material. Art can be a powerful tool for social change. His work often deals with issues of social justice and environmentalism. Art has the power to connect people and to create a sense of community. His work can create a dialogue between the viewer and the sculpture exploring ways we can connect with the natural world. His large-scale public sculptures are in the permanent collections of sculpture parks, midwestern cities, California, two Chicago public schools, Chicago State University, a CTA subway station and a UC mini-park. 

This sculpture is part of Quad City Arts Public Sculpture leasing Program and will be on display through May, 2026. A fun piece that continues my focus on water.  In this case rain water is captured by the troughs and flows towards the lower sections.  When it is not raining the colorful balls appear to drop from one level to the next.

Artist: James Haire

About: I have been a working artist for over thirty years creating figurative bronze sculptures. The inspiration for my work comes from a wide variety of sources. I enjoy trying to capture the numerous aspects of the human spirit. Many of my sculptures have been commissioned and I have placed numerous sculptures in public settings throughout the country.

Sculpture Information: "The Enchantment of Reading" was originally created for a children's section of the Addison, Illinois Public Library. The daughter of a librarian who worked at the library was the model. I wanted to create a playful piece that children would relate to.

"Evanescent Field" is a permanent light installation by artist Leo Villareal, which adorns the at the Figge Art Museum's building itself in Davenport, Iowa, unveiled in May 2025. It features over 5,000 linear feet of custom-coded LED lights integrated into the building's glass facade, creating, shifting, non-repeating patterns that reflect the nearby Mississippi River and city skyline.

Artist: Peter Gray About: At his Metal-i-Genics Studio in Chicago, Gray captures the aesthetics of genetics, microbiology, and physics in bronze and steel sculptures. His goal is to create something that has both an aesthetic value as a sculpture and then also leads to further questioning by the viewer.

Sculpture Information: Traditionally, we have annual remembrances for those long past. HOWEVER, this year we are thrust into a reality where we have many to remember for their sacrifices NOW, not later. So please think of them as you look at my Flame of Remembrance.

Artist: Ben Pierce About: Ben Pierce is a veteran and Missouri native who found an outlet for his internal struggle by creating sculpture. “ I have been living with depression for many years (way before I began making art). Only recently have I begun to speak openly about it with friends and family. A lot of mental illness is suffered in silence- I am choosing to use my art as a way to help others speak up. Maybe someone will hear about this or read this and feel HOPE. You are not alone! Or through my openness about depression it will allow others to not suffer alone by giving them courage to seek help or confide in someone. Maybe this can open that conversation for them. My art/sculptures possibly would not have been created if it weren't for my need to externalize what I go through inside. I hope you find your own voice and can endure any obstacle that comes your way”.

Sculpture Information: "Growing Up" pays respect to my family history and lineage of bricklayers. My father is a 3rd generation bricklayer and I spent a lot of time as a kid on the jobsite. I would play in sand piles that were used to mix with the Portland cement and water to make the mortar. I remember climbing up on the scaffolding and watching my dad as he laid bricks. Using or mimicking a plant-like form, to show growth. Placing the bricks inside a circular shape on a form that is largely angular highlights the brick to showcase their value. As the form grows, the bricks are an integral part- just like in my own growth and childhood.

Artist: Ben Pierce About: Ben Pierce is a veteran and Missouri native who found an outlet for his internal struggle by creating sculpture. “ I have been living with depression for many years (way before I began making art). Only recently have I begun to speak openly about it with friends and family. A lot of mental illness is suffered in silence- I am choosing to use my art as a way to help others speak up. Maybe someone will hear about this or read this and feel HOPE. You are not alone! Or through my openness about depression it will allow others to not suffer alone by giving them courage to seek help or confide in someone. Maybe this can open that conversation for them. My art/sculptures possibly would not have been created if it weren't for my need to externalize what I go through inside. I hope you find your own voice and can endure any obstacle that comes your way”.

Sculpture Information: “It’s Going to be Okay” is a steel sculpture with two oculus shapes painted with Macropoxy paint in bright colors. This piece is part of the artist’s “Balance Series,” a series of sculptures where Pierce combines unpolished steel with painted steel to achieve a playful balance of shapes and textures.

Artist: Don Horstman About: As a sculptor and painter I offer a representation of texture, light, mass and translucent space in the minimalist tradition.  My art is sometimes created from industrial scrap which brings new life to the castoff of industry. 

Sculpture Information: "Just Visiting" was inspired by the annual migration of the monarch butterflies from Canada to their wintering grounds in Mexico; and their congregating in Mexico's oyamel fir trees of Michoacan and Mexico states.

Artist: Chris Wubbena About: As an artist, I fluctuate between interdisciplinary ways of working; at times, focusing on public art with the fabrication of outdoor landmarks; at other times, by constructing artifacts within found material compositions and multi-media installations. Such fluctuation allows for a wide range of expressive capabilities, stretching from the creation of lasting monumental sculptures to transitory moments. The reference of historical and geologic documentation is often apparent in my work, whether through sedimentary layering represented in sculptural form, the accumulation and erosion of text and imagery across surfaces, or the melding of seemingly disparate conglomerate materials and objects.

This sculpture is part of Quad City Arts Public Sculpture leasing Program and will be on display through May, 2026. "Listen, inspired by classical figurative sculpture along with geologic and Neolithic rock formations, takes a closer look at the individual, the person, and the weight they assume.  The abstracted figurative form exists in a state of perpetual action and reaction as its stainless-steel body constructs and twists under a large, painted, rock-like mass.  The painted, layered histories accumulated atop the figurative form expresses the here and now with the use of applied text and imagery."

Artist: Stuart Morris About: Stuart Morris received an MFA degree as an Iowa Arts Fellow from the University of Iowa. He taught design and fine art courses at the University of Iowa and the University of Miami and ran Conjure Design before coming to UWSP in 2002 where he teaches courses in graphic design and foundations. Stuart continues to work professionally as a designer and artist. His work has been awarded and exhibited regionally, nationally and internationally.​​

Sculpture Information: "Lloyd's Trek" was dedicated on August 8, 2010 in memory of Lloyd Schoeneman, an artist and arts administrator who served as Quad City Arts' community liaison and director of public visual arts for 22 years, until his death in 2001. Although it was originally intended to be placed on Second Street near the entrance to Quad City Arts along with trail markers and planted trees, the sculpture's location in an active public space better reflects Schoeneman's commitment to a partnership between the arts and the community. (The sculpture can be readily viewed from the Quad City Arts Center through the gallery's large north windows.) The piece's blend of whimsy and sophistication also seems to capture the spirit of Schoeneman's own artwork. The concept of "Lloyd's Trek" was determined through the creative input and donations of numerous friends and colleagues over the course of several years. The relationship between the Mississippi River and local industry is expressed in Lloyd's Trek through the use of industrial materials - weathered metal sheets and concrete - and the aqua-colored waves that circumscribe the sculpture's middle section. The waves are patterned with reflective rectangular forms that enliven the surface but also feel like spikes or large rivet heads. A small welded patch that cuts through the continuous waves seems to further speak of the impact of industry on the river. Yet, this shape - inaccessibly placed far over our heads - also suggests a sealed door, hinting that something is hidden within. A few years after the dedication, Lloyd's wife, Megan Quinn worked with students to create ceramic tiles to add further dimension and interest to the "legs" of the sculpture.

Artist: Kirk Seese

This sculpture is part of Quad City Arts Public Sculpture leasing Program and will be on display through May, 2027.
This dragonfly is made from a delightful mix of new building materials, and antique metal parts. Repurposed fire extinguisher tanks and an antique head light make up the head and body of this oversized insect, while Plasma cut steel and CNC cut colored transparent polycarbonate make up the wings. The base is made from industrial plastic painted copper with rebar reeds.

Artist: Tim Adams About: My Midwestern roots and a career as a Registered Landscape Architect have influenced my designs. Natural landforms and native plants are the starting points for my sculpture concepts. The native trees, shrubs, and perennial plants I work with daily, and the rugged weather of the Midwest provide my inspiration. Often my works are an abstract representation of natural grasses, trees, or shapes that occur in nature. My goal is to make inclusive and accessible public art, that creates a sense of wonder, or a new perspective. To foster sustainability, I strive to incorporate recycled metals and repurposed materials when practical. My pieces are designed and constructed to be stout, long-term installations with little or no maintenance needed. My primary mediums are weathered steel, stainless steel, and painted steel, brushed aluminum, fluorescent plexiglass, native limestone, and LED lighting. I have a full-scale fabrication studio and continually use new materials as my art evolves.

This sculpture is part of Quad City Arts Public Sculpture leasing Program and will be on display through May, 2026. "These giant grasses are majestic in their stature and graceful in their simplicity.  Their swaying and rustling in the wind seem like an effortless performance, but below the surface, these plants give shelter to habitat in every season and their ability to live on little water and in marginal soil is a tribute to nature’s wisdom. The arc of the stems attempts to mimic the graceful movement of the plant and its ability to withstand brutal weather through bending and adapting.  Miscanthus reminds us of the beauty as well as the robustness of nature."

Artist: Peter Gray About: Peter Gray is a steel sculptor with a multi-disciplinary science background. He explores the intersection of art and science dealing with evolution, mutation and the natural world. Biological processes can be seen as forms of art. He uses steel because it is a strong versatile material. Art can be a powerful tool for social change. His work often deals with issues of social justice and environmentalism. Art has the power to connect people and to create a sense of community. His work can create a dialogue between the viewer and the sculpture exploring ways we can connect with the natural world.His large-scale public sculptures are in the permanent collections of sculpture parks, midwestern cities, California, two Chicago public schools, Chicago State University, a CTA subway station and a UC mini-park.

Sculpture Information: Peter Gray is a steel sculptor with a multi-disciplinary science background. He explores the intersection of art and science dealing with evolution, mutation and the natural world. Biological processes can be seen as forms of art. He uses steel because it is a strong versatile material. Art can be a powerful tool for social change. His work often deals with issues of social justice and environmentalism. Art has the power to connect people and to create a sense of community. His work can create a dialogue between the viewer and the sculpture exploring ways we can connect with the natural world.His large-scale public sculptures are in the permanent collections of sculpture parks, midwestern cities, California, two Chicago public schools, Chicago State University, a CTA subway station and a UC mini-park.

Artist: Paul Bobrowitz About: From the beginning, found objects have been the sprouted seeds inspired by nature that became my art. Rocks have been integrated into my work as symbolic of nature, often as a counterweight showing how all mankind actions affect the world around us. As industrial scrap was included in my work, the sculptures became more linear, abstract, and contemporary. Fountains and kinetic sculpture added movement and sound to the pieces. Themes and stories emerged as some works became more intricate, and my life’s experiences became more evident in the compositions. Relationships have emerged as one central theme for the greater body of my work. Man’s relationship to the environment, nature, and the effects we have on each other. It is the message of caring for the environment by upcycling, transforming it to sculpture that inspires thought, emotions and communication.

Sculpture Information: "Note" depicts a treble clef and refers to the importance of music in our lives.

Artist: Paul Bobrowitz About: From the beginning, found objects have been the sprouted seeds inspired by nature that became my art. Rocks have been integrated into my work as symbolic of nature, often as a counterweight showing how all mankind actions affect the world around us. As industrial scrap was included in my work, the sculptures became more linear, abstract, and contemporary. Fountains and kinetic sculpture added movement and sound to the pieces. Themes and stories emerged as some works became more intricate, and my life’s experiences became more evident in the compositions. Relationships have emerged as one central theme for the greater body of my work. Man’s relationship to the environment, nature, and the effects we have on each other. It is the message of caring for the environment by upcycling, transforming it to sculpture that inspires thought, emotions and communication.

Sculpture: "Seasonal Celebration" evokes the joy people often feel during while participating in various seasonal celebrations-from summer picnics, to Halloween, to all varieties of yearly religious observations-the ability to celebrate bonds us together as human beings.

Artist: Michael Young About: A Chicago artist specializing in site-specific public sculpture and light-based work. For over thirty years, Young’s customized artwork and design have appeared in numerous public and private collections across the United States and abroad. Highlights include permanent exhibition design for the National Smithsonian Air and Space Museum along with corporations, schools, and private collections. From concept to installation, Young’s aesthetic reflects the values and interests of each sculpture’s site and surrounding community. Having studied science - primarily botany and ecology – while obtaining a Bachelor’s degree at University of Wisconsin at Madison, Young’s work with organic-forms suggests the interdependence of environmental elements.

Sculpture Information: When designing sculpture, I always remember that each viewer will have an individual, emotional response to the piece. Because I want that response to be positive, I frequently use birds in my work – both as imagery and as symbol. The idea of birds swooping up and taking flight is incredibly uplifting, lending an inspirational feel to the sculpture.

Artist: Anna Modeland

About: Throughout her childhood, Anna Modeland enrolled in every art class she could take at Boone High School in Iowa. She was passionate about drawing and sketching. As the daughter of a self-taught machinist and metal worker, she’d been exposed to welding for most of her life. At 18, the most influential person in her life, her father, taught her how to weld. “I’ve always been fascinated by my father and his career,” Modeland said. “He’s the most interesting and talented man you’ll ever meet.” Ever since he taught her to weld, she has never stopped creating sculptures.

Sculpture Information: I chose this piece because, as the national bird, the eagle embodies the strength and freedom of our country, especially through these tough times. It’s a reminder that through war, hatred and racism, and a panic inducing pandemic, we can all still stand tall, spread our wings and choose to rebuild this place that we call home.

This sculpture is part of Quad City Arts Public Sculpture leasing Program and will be on display through May, 2026.

Artist: B. Thomas Lytle About: Lytle was born in Galesburg and raised Henderson, IL. He studied art and art education at Eastern Illinois University followed by graduate studies in Intaglio printmaking at Governor’s State University near Chicago. He then taught high school painting and drawing for eight years in the Chicago suburban towns of Lansing and Calumet City before moving back to the Galesburg area. Thomas retired from Galesburg High School in 2009 after teaching sculpture, drawing and design. He operates Studio 214 near his home in Knoxville.

Sculpture Information: In rapt conversation, two women sit huddled on a bench in downtown Davenport. One draws back with her mouth comically agape, stunned by the words being spoken by the other. B. Thomas Lytle, captured this interaction with hammered and welded Cor-ten steel. Although the facial expressions and body language of the two women are true to life, the figures are unnaturally proportioned. They're 51 inches in height - about as tall as a seated person - but their heads are relatively tiny, their arms pipe-thin, and their bodies elongated.

Artist: Sol Lewitt About: In 1984, a site-specific sculpture by the internationally renowned artist Sol LeWitt (1928-2007) was installed near the south entrance of the RiverCenter on Third Street in Davenport. Titled simply Tower, this sculpture was made of four 21-foot-tall slabs of concrete bolted to a framework of steel I-beams. These slabs, made of crushed marble and silica, were cast using more than a half-mile of Styrofoam strips. Tower was moved to the Figge Art Museum's plaza in October 2004. LeWitt’s work is intentionally unemotional.

Artist: Michael Young. When designing sculpture, I always remember that each viewer will have an individual, emotional response to the piece. Because I want that response to be positive, I frequently use birds in my work – both as imagery and as symbol. The idea of birds swooping up and taking flight is incredibly uplifting, lending an inspirational feel to the sculpture.

“I started out as a child, building tree houses and various objects. Creating became a critical part of my life. Later I excelled at art and became interested in light and discovered film. At Columbia College, I continued my studies, eventually finding myself at the University of Wisconsin Madison. Immersing myself in the abstract and the practical, I learned and unlearned aspects of my art. Over the last 30 years, I have continued to work on my sculptures both large and small in a host of materials. My work has been sold internationally. One of the highlights of my career was being commissioned by the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum to create an entryway sculpture and mural to commemorate the museum’s anniversary. Working in the Sedgwick Studio (Chicago) over the last twelve years has helped me to mature as an artist, collaborating and making the objects necessary to my life.”

This sculpture is part of Quad City Arts Public Sculpture leasing Program and will be on display through May, 2026.

Artist: Paul Bobrowitz: Like many sculpture artists Bobrowitz uses scrap steel in this work. “From the beginning, found objects have been the sprouted seeds inspired by nature that became my art. Rocks have been integrated into my work as symbolic of nature, often as a counterweight showing how all mankind actions affect the world around us. As industrial scrap was included in my work, the sculptures became more linear, abstract, and contemporary. Fountains and kinetic sculpture added movement and sound to the pieces. Themes and stories emerged as some works became more intricate, and my life’s experiences became more evident in the compositions. Relationships have emerged as one central theme for the greater body of my work. Man’s relationship to the environment, nature, and the effects we have on each other. It is the message of caring for the environment by upcycling, transforming it to sculpture that inspires thought, emotions, and communication.”

Artist: V. Skip Willits About: The welding technique I use to create most of my work is a skill I began learning at age ten from my father who worked in a welding shop. He taught me everything, from the characteristics of materials such as steel, cast iron and aluminum to the various welding techniques; arc, TIG, MIG, torch, etc. In 1983, I produced and installed my first major public sculpture. Since that time I’ve continued to make things. Yearly, I participate in numerous exhibitions and produce commissioned work across the United States, Canada and Europe. I live and work, happily, on the banks of the Mississippi River.

Sculpture Information: This corten steel sculpture resembles tightly closed seed pods full of potential to burst and scatter their seeds to the breeze where they will begin a haphazard journey to destinations unknown while the parent plant stays rooted in place.

Artist: Matt Moyer About:  I have been making and exhibiting public sculpture for almost 20 years. My work is owned publicly in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa and exhibited nationally. My work is inspired by industrial manufacturing. It has a decidedly blue-collar feel due to my upbringing in Moline, IL. I am inspired by pumps, plows, factories, crops, and our natural environment, as well as the people who maintain all of them.

Artist: Joseph Gagnepin About: Joseph started drawing at the age of three when his childhood doctor taught him how to draw Mickey Mouse and inspired him to go into cartooning. He graduated from the Chicago Academy for the Arts High School and spent two years at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Along with creating his many acclaimed and commissioned art works, Joseph is part of a carving team, “The Starvin’ Carvists” that have won 1st and 2nd place at 2 International Snow Sculpting Competitions in Italy.

Sculpture Information:  “I love discovering synchronicities and where things fit together and share a poetry from different backgrounds,” says Joseph. In "Whimsey, Whirly, Wheelie" Joseph used old bicycle parts to create a fantastical bicycle and it's colorful rider.