A spotlight is being shined on a dramatic new sculpture on display in Fire Station Park. "A River Runs Through…" by artist Peter N. Gray is a tribute to Chicago and many of its features. The ribbons of stainless steel reflect the branches of the Chicago River and the lakeshore while the red and blue I-beams allude to Chicago's skyscrapers and history as the city with the first skyscrapers. Chicago's chain of parks that run through the city and along the shore are symbolized by the tall green component. Peter Gray tries to use repurposed materials, in this case using I-beams from demolished commercial buildings.

In many of his works, Gray wants to share his wonder and admiration for molecular structures and functions for their sense of beauty and harmony. His driving force is to create works that are aesthetically interesting and resonate with the viewer's personal and scientific experience. His inspiration comes from observations in the laboratory, the scientific literature, and as a science educator. The artist believes that the audience should not be limited to those curious about the intimate structure of living organisms. It also should be interesting to those not initially looking for a scientific connection. However, a bonus is when the viewer either recognizes the concept, or asks about the elemental parallels with something scientific.

Gray occasionally creates whimsical pieces for site-specific installations, such as city parks, subway stations and sports related venues. In these cases, he takes into account the venue, visitors, residents and local designers/architects. Sites for other public works by Gray in the Chicago area include the Koehnline Museum of Art, a CTA Blue Line station, the Lincolnwood Sculpture Park, and Dixon Elementary School. Gray, working at Metal-i-Genics Studio near Garfield Park, also creates smaller sculptures in bronze and other materials for homes and gardens that can be seen at www.metal-i-genics.com.