Visual Art in Merrillville, Indiana

Butterfly Garden Memorial at Calumet Park Cemetery in Merrillville near the west entrance.
In the center of the garden is a monument with a large, granite base that will allow more than 350 bronze memorials to be attached. At the top is a bronze sculpture of a child releasing a butterfly.

A three part kinetic mobile, 12’ x 10’, graces the vast windowed area facing southwest over the Broadway Corridor on the fifth and fourth floors of the Centier Bank Corporate Building (Centier Centre) 600 East 84th Avenue. There are three elements to the sculpture which is made of aluminum tubing with stretched fabric squares in bronze, silver and gold. It was a special commission signature piece made by Kansas artists Gabriel Stoner and Michael Halton.




Other photos included commissioned artwork which flanks the walls in the executive reception area of the building.




The circular structure on top of the building is also a work of art. It is a lighted circlet, architectural element designed by Glenview, IL architect Peter Brinckerhoff. The 27-foot high 54,000 pound pinnacle can be seen for miles.

On November 11, 2006, this veteran's memorial was dedicated at a temporary site in Merrillville, Indiana. Created by Jerry McKenna, it depicts four United States service members-a World War I doughboy, a World War II marine, a twentieth century sailor, a modern day fighter pilot-and a civil war soldier raising the U.S. flag. The Veterans Memorial has been relocated to a location just west of the Merrillville Cemetary on E 73rd Ave. (Old Lincoln Hwy).

Information and main photo from: Jerry McKenna, Sculptor: Portfolio, Merrillville's Veteran's Memorial webpage.

"In-Justice" located at Justice Park, near The Law Office of Garry A. Weiss, P.C., is an abstract sculpture potraying the scales of justice. David Decaris, a local builder and an artist hobbyist, designed the sculpture. His works have also been displayed at Valparaiso University. Mr. Decaris had this 1500 lbs, 10' tall sculpture built in Griffith by Omega. It was completed in 2006. This sculpture is located near the intersection of Broadway and 73rd Avenue.

# 1 on Map of Visual Art Locations in Merrillville, Indiana.

These shrines, statues, and pieces of art are located at our Lady of Czetochowa in Merrillville, 5755 Pennsylvania St. The shrine is the ending point and meeting place for Polish walking pilgrimages to Czestochowa, which is several centuries old. Pilgrims usually plan to reach Czestochowa just before the Solemnity of Assumption (August 15), which is a national feast day in Poland.

POLISH NEWS - From Chicago to Merrillville in two days

Stations of the Cross
Various Pieces Within the Church.

# 2 on Map of Visual Art Locations in Merrillville, Indiana.

"The Reader" is a seven foot sculpture located in the north window of the Central Lake County Public Library, 1919 W. 81st Avenue. It depicts a woman in a semi-reclined position with a book in her lap and another book close at hand. The sculpture is made of pure white cement, steel reinforcement, acrylic strengthener, and marble powder. The steel at the base of the sculpture was donated by Bethlehem Steel. The artist, Mr. Hermann Gurfinkel of Valparaiso, Indiana, who passed away in April 2004, has left a legacy of his work both here in the United States and abroad. The sculpture was a gift from the Friends of the Lake County Public Library and was dedicated on March 25, 1984.

The black and white photos show The Reader “in process”. The artist in the middle of the photo is Hermann Gurfinkel, former Library Director Carol Derner is on the left and former LCPL Board Member Ruth Berg is on the right.

# 3 on Map of Visual Art Locations in Merrillville, Indiana.

On the choir loft wall of St. Sava Church, 9191 Mississippi Street, is a painting of 12 saints that are important to a faith that is intertwined with history rich with religious and political significance. Mural painted by Rev. Theodore Jurewicz of Erie, PA.

Other St. Sava Photos

# 5 on Map of Visual Art Locations in Merrillville, Indiana.

This fountain scuplture is located at the Chase Bank on 8585 Broadway.

# 4 on Map of Visual Art Locations in Merrillville, Indiana.

"Jesus Speaks to the Children", the 25-foot, 10-inch wide, 12-foot high mosaic , created by Tom Torluemke, sits above the back entrance to Andrean High School. Materials: 120,000 porcelain tile pieces, 19 Durock cement boards, Kerabond cement mortar, Keralastic acrylic additive, TEC sanded grout, TEC acrylic additive.
Sponsors: Mr. & Mrs. Michael Back & Family

Dedicated August 16th, 2007
Andrean High School
5959 Broadway
Merrillville, IN 46410

August 2, 2007 Post-Tribune article by Mike Hutton.

# 6 on Map of Visual Art Locations in Merrillville, Indiana.

The Geminus Totem, unveiled March 2008, celebrates the Geminus Corporation's 15th Anniversary and was created by David Lee Csicsko of Hammond, IN and Erin Adams of Albuquerque NM. This mosaic is located at the East entrance of the Geminus Corporation's building, 8400 Louisiana Avenue, Merrillvillle, Indiana.

The sculpture is a training tool for Ironworkers. Students get a true visual understanding of steel framing and steel connections from more than 100 Steel Sculptures at colleges and universities across the United States. These Steel Sculptures are valuable teaching aids that exemplify the many methods of steel framing and their corresponding connections. This sculpture is located at C & C Iron, Inc., 6409 Hendricks Street.