The Trail stretches along the 4000–5000 blocks of North Milwaukee Avenue, featuring more than ten inspiring sculptures by local artists, vibrant murals, renowned arts organizations, and unique creative experiences. With local shops and diverse restaurants along the route, the Trail invites you to explore, taste, and discover something new every time you visit.
Honoring History
The Northwest Art Trail is named for the Native American portage route that once carried people and canoes between the Chicago and Des Plaines Rivers—a key pathway that shaped settlement, travel, and trade long before Chicago existed.
Discover a dynamic series of sculptures, murals, and creative experiences along Milwaukee Avenue. Use the map below to guide your walk, connect with the art, and stop into neighborhood shops and restaurants to enjoy the vibrant culture of Chicago’s Northwest Side.
Two birds, a male and a female, evoke the “birds and the bees” expressing the fecundity of nature.Everyone likes birds; we see them, we hear them, we eat them. They are an essential cog in the living circle of our world.The tree is pared down to its essential shape: trunk and branches. It is support and shelter, a place to build a nest, a place where food can be found, capturing the energy of the sun through photosynthesis.The color red (aggressive, passionate, courageous) dominates over the cold steel color of the tree. However, the birds need the tree for support so it’s in their best interest to keep the tree alive. This piece is a metaphor for man and nature.
Title: The Essence of Nature
Dimensions: 10′ x 2.5′ x12′ (LxWxH)
Location: 4021 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Let’s Get Going reflects Karpowicz’s interest in creating art that energizes and engages with its surrounding space.
Title: Let’s Get Going
Dimensions: 5′ 4′ x 3′ 3′ x 13′ (LxWxH)
Location: 4630 N. Milwaukee Ave.