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Century Walk murals designed for Water Street District take their place in history

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Above / Five new porcelain tile murals depicting the power of water, all part of Century Walk, are to be framed along the Riverwalk for storytelling at the new Water Street District. Don’t you feel cooler just looking at the icy DuPage River?

UPDATE, June 27, 2017 / “Water Street Yesterdays,” reflects family homes, commerce and activities along the DuPage between Main and Eagle Streets in downtown Naperville.

Above / Recognition of the Riverwalk extension and Century Walk Mural Series “Streaming History” was addressed by Nick Ryan along with Riverwalk Commission Chair Geoff Roehll during the dedication of the new Water Street District. Kudos were given to Century Walk, artist Debora Duran-Geiger, Naper Settlement and Bryan Ogg via Brand Bobosky, President of Century Walk Corporation, with appreciation for the generous investment in public art.

Bobosky noted the mural featuring an image of World War II veteran Walter Kelsch in his Army uniform was a gift from the Dave Kelsch family.

UPDATE, June 14, 2017 / Four of the five Century Walk murals planned to enhance the Riverwalk at the Water Street District have been installed.

“The fifth mural is in transit,” said Brand Bobosky, President of the Century Walk Corporation. “And this 48th location for Century Walk is thanks to private investors and the developers at Marquette. It’s a nice partnership. Marquette has been a great supporter of Century Walk since 2010 when they helped with plaque for the Dick Tracy sculpture at the other end of the new walk.”

[shareprints gallery_id=”74916″ gallery_type=”masonry” gallery_position=”pos_center” gallery_width=”width_100″ image_size=”small” image_padding=”0″ theme=”dark” image_hover=”false” lightbox_type=”slide” titles=”true” captions=”true” descriptions=”true” comments=”true” sharing=”true”]Each 5 ft. x 9 ft. mural is being installed, keeping in mind that sometimes the area floods, said Bobosky, who went on to explain about special glues and epoxies used to finish the installation.

“It’s a nice project. The developers at Marquette, like the Yackleys and the Rubins, understand the value of public art on their property.”

Mural artist Debora Duran-Geiger and the sponsors of the project will be honored at a dedication ceremony on June 23, Bobosky said.

Since the inception of the public art project in 1996, Century Walk has been funded, in part, by the City of Naperville, including the Special Events and Cultural Amenities (SECA) fund since it was established in 2004.


Peek at process as public art is designed for Water Street District

Above / Marquette Companies’ CEO Nick Ryan, center, Peter Foyo, President, Principal Standard Group; and Brand Bobosky, President of Century Walk Corporation, got their first look at the design for one of the new ceramic murals by artist Debora Duran-Geiger, soon to grace the Water Street District Riverwalk.

Original Post, May 20, 2016 / When the Water Street District opens later this year, the new hotel, shopping and dining attractions also will be enhanced with public art that helps tell the story of life along the DuPage River in downtown Naperville.

Santa Fe artist Debora Duran-Geiger delivered a small study of a piece commemorating the Old Main Street Bridge and Naperville’s farming life.  The piece, to be executed in porcelain tiles, will join four others on the District’s north-facing wall along the Riverwalk , on the south bank of the DuPage River. The finished art will be a large glazed mosaic, approximately nine feet wide and five feet high.

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Above / Brand Bobosky, Mike Geiger, artist Debora Duran-Geiger, Peter Foyo and Nick Ryan provide a sneak peek of “Old Main Street Bridge.” 

Funded by private investors including the Dominic and Joyce Imbursia Family, the Peter Foyo Family and the Nicholas and Teresa Ryan Family; installed by Marquette Companies and administered by Century Walk, the series of works also will depict and celebrate the many immigrant families who settled and grew Naperville throughout history.

“Art is an important part of Naperville’s downtown landscape and the Riverwalk is art in itself, with the walkways, fountains and artistic landscaping,” noted Ryan in a news release. “This series will connect the original Water Street of the 1800’s to the amazing transformation to the Water Street District.  Seeing the initial mural design, depicting the famous Main Street bridge, the early buildings on Water Street and the rural surroundings is amazing. It brought joy to my heart!”

Ryan discovers artist at Riverwalk Fine Art Fair

Ryan met Duran-Geiger and her husband Mike at last fall’s Riverwalk Fine Art Fair, where they were showing some of the artist’s tile murals. Shortly thereafter the Water Street team enlisted Bryan Ogg, Curator of Research at Naper Settlement, to search out historic scenes from life along Water Street.

The team also solicited the assistance of Brand Bobosky, founder of Century Walk more than 20 years ago, and they began to engage private investors to fund the commission and installation of what will ultimately be a series of five murals.

Using photos and references from the Naper Settlement archives, Duran-Geiger began with a paper and pencil sketch of her concept, which she then transferred onto terra cotta bisque-fired tiles.  Using wax resist, querda seca and skip trailing techniques, she glazed the image with a variety of glazes to give the piece dimension and texture.  The sky was given the water-color effect with majolica gaze technique.  The sample tiles were then fired in an electric kiln by her husband.

Duran-Geiger is enthusiastic about helping to tell Naperville’s story.

“The vision of Century Walk and Marquette to use art to enhance the community and inform viewers (about its history) is unique,” she said. “Mike and I travel a lot and I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like it.”

Duran-Geiger visited Naper Settlement while in town to deliver her “Old Main Street Bridge” study last week. Now she is incorporating numerous little touches to make the pieces even more indigenous such as a cardinal (the Illinois State bird) and violets ( the State flower).

“It’s an honor to have my pieces hung in a community so committed to making art a part of everyday life,” she said. “My husband lived here along with five brothers and sisters as a boy, and went to Elmwood School. He’s wanted to come back. Now I see why.”

Studies for additional pieces will be delivered throughout the summer and the installation of the final murals on Water Street is anticipated later this year as construction permits.

May 20, 2016 / Photos and news submitted by Deb Newman for Marquette Properties

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PN Editor
An editor is someone who prepares content for publishing. It entered English, the American Language, via French. Its modern sense for newspapers has been around since about 1800.

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