PEGGY NOTEBAERT NATURE MUSEUM - LINCOLN PARK

Jill Riddell, Exhibit Director,of Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, had originally commissioned Sharon to create nature themed windows for Riddell’s Hyde Park home, brought Sharon onboard to produce work for the “Mysteries of the Marsh” exhibit. The permanent display was being re-imagined by Exhibit Designer, Anna Lehner. During initial meetings, Jill expressed an interest in Sharon’s stained glass and sculptural artworks. In the end, both skill sets were employed to create a collection of stunning pieces that merge a two dimensional window of a marsh habitat with a delicately modeled bronze sculpture of three dragonflies alighting upon fiddlehead ferns.



The dragonflies within the stained glass and the bronze, depict several scientifically correct species including the Hines Emerald dragonfly. This is the only endangered dragonfly of the United States whose habitat is rapidly disappearing. The stained glass window depicts specific aquatic botanic species such as wild iris, pickerelweed, arrowroot, (yellow pond thing) Sharon’s contribution also includes bronze Blanding’s turtles that perch upon a log in front of a large tank of living Blanding’s turtles. Ornamental handles of a dragonfly, Giant American Water beetle and a Chimney Crayfish were created by Sharon to enhance educational door panel exhibits.