Photos: 1) At a dedication ceremony Nov. 1, Terry Travis, M.D. accepts a memento from Charlotte Warren, Ph.D., president of LLCC, in appreciation for his donation of outdoor sculptures recently installed on the LLCC campus. 2) Sculptor Mike Baur with “Immigrant” on the LLCC campus. 3) Terri McKinzie with “Take Five” sculpted by her late husband Pat McDonald. 4) “Immigrant” (left), “Paradigm Shift” (center) and “Take Five” (right) join nearby sculptures “La Terra” and “Stele Head” to form a sculpture garden on the LLCC campus. 5) Construction students with instructor Tom Spears in front of “Stele Head” by Michael Dunbar. The students built the foundations of the sculptures and assisted with refurbishment and installation. 

LLCC formally dedicated three newly installed outdoor sculptures yesterday, honoring Terry Travis, M.D. of Springfield who donated them to the college, along with the sculptors.

“Paradigm Shift” is a 22-foot-tall sculpture by Bruce Chaban, first exhibited at Chicago’s Navy Pier. “Immigrant,” sculpted of steel and concrete, was created by Mike Baur, and “Take Five” is a steel and wood sculpture by Pat McDonald. All now grace the lawn in front of Menard Hall on the LLCC campus.

“These extraordinary pieces, along with Michael Dunbar’s ‘Stele Head’ and Barry Tinsley’s ‘La Terra’ sculptures nearby, create a haven of inspiration on our campus,” said Dr. Charlotte Warren, LLCC president. “Gratitude is a theme at the college these days. It gives me great pleasure to recognize and express grateful thanks to Dr. Travis for his generous donation.”

Dr. Vern Lindquist, vice president of academic services, said it is rare for a community college to have such prominent works of art on display. “These artworks exist not in a gallery, but in a public space: works on view that become part of the calling card and first impression of the institution. It is wonderful to have sculptors here with us today to see how their work has changed the landscape of our campus and enriched our daily experience.”

LLCC alumnus and prominent sculptor Michael Dunbar praised the donor, commenting, “Over the years, I have come to realize that Terry Travis has a highly tuned, intuitive sense of visual acuity. He sees things that others fail to notice. He has what’s called in the art world ‘a good eye.’ As a result, he has assembled an exceptional collection of outstanding sculptures for his home and placement in numerous public art collections.”

Also recognized today were LLCC construction students who assisted in laying the foundations and installing the sculptures; Thom Whalen, professor of art, who advised on the location of each sculpture; and Karen Sanders, vice president of advancement and executive director of the LLCC Foundation, who facilitated the gift.

Tinsley’s “La Terra” was installed on campus in 2006 as part of the Illinois Art in Architecture program, first coordinated by Dunbar. Dunbar’s “Stele Head,” donated to LLCC by Dr. Travis in 1993, was moved to another campus location in 2009 when the college broke ground for the A. Lincoln Commons student center but has now “returned home” in front of the Commons.