(Image: ‘Guardians’ 2025, Cast concrete and steel, Two parts each 6 x16 x 5 ft)
GUARDIANS is in commemoration of Kane County Forest Preserve’s Centennial 1925- 2025 and is located in Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve, Kane County, IL.
Created by Mike Baur, this two-part sculpture aims to commemorate the past while laying roots for the future. According to Baur, the design draws inspiration from the textures and forms of fallen branches and tree trunks, found throughout Midwestern woodlands. These natural elements are powerful symbols of both renewal and protection within the forest ecosystem. The sculpture is an abstract interpretation of the forest. Its horizontal orientation reflects the way seasonal winds bring down limbs and trunks—events that, while disruptive, give rise to new growth and provide shelter for wildlife. This natural cycle is a metaphor for guardianship and resilience.
The straw covering between sections will be prairie grass. The surrounding areas planted with new oaks and hickory trees.
The Unveiling was Sunday, June 8,2025 at Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve in Kane County, IL