Artists: Tinley Park Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association
Sponsor: Odyssey Country Club
This bench was created with wood and cutouts of American landmarks, making it a true salute to our national monuments. Featured prominently are Mt. Rushmore and the Statue of Liberty, two iconic American monuments that represent all that the United States stands for.
About the Artists: The Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association is comprised of graduates of the Tinley Park Citizens Police Academy, a 12-week program designed to give residents a working knowledge of law enforcement and the Tinley Park Police Department.
Field of Remembrance
Artists: Hannah Cobb
Sponsor: Accounting SolutionZ
This bench design is a reflective and emotional tribute honoring veterans through the symbolic power of the poppy, a universal emblem of remembrance. The bench depicts a beautiful field of red poppies, and the flower boxes are painted a patriotic red, white, and blue.
About the Artists: Hannah is a multimedia artist specializing in drawing, painting, mixed media, and theatrical makeup. This is the second bench Hannah has made.
Land of the Free, Because of the Brave
Artists: Colleen Sullivan and Mark Ethridge
Sponsor: Ed and Joes Pizzeria
This bench pays tribute to the brave men and women who have served our great country. The bench displays the six branches of the United States military and the American Eagle, which represents freedom, strength, courage, and independence, all carved from wood and painted with acrylic paints.
About the Artists: Mark has been a resident of Tinley Park for 52 years. He proudly served the United States in the U.S. Navy for 26 years as a Chief Petty Officer. He’s a husband, father, and grandfather. Colleen has been a resident of Tinley Park for 30 years and serves as a Tinley Park Trustee. She’s a children’s book author, a mom, and “grammy.” Mark and Colleen teamed up to create a bench on behalf of the Tinley Park Veterans Commission. Special thanks to Bob Jensen (U.S. Army), the Voice of Democracy, Patriots Pen, Honor Guard, and John Malinowski for their contributions to the creation of this bench.
Love Wins
Artist: Judy Wilk and Lynn Comstock Sponsor: Odyssey Fun World
This bench commemorates the iconic V-Day kiss that so perfectly captured the joy and relief at the end of World War II. It celebrates the unity, hope, and freedoms that emerged from this important moment in our history, shaping both America and the world. The bench is painted with acrylic using wood overlays to add depth and dimension.
About the Artists: Judy and Lynn are amateur artists working with paint and mosaic glass, inspired by color and texture. They love handson creation and experimentation in art. This is their first bench.
Paw-ty…in the U.S.A.
Artists: Amy Tucker Sponsor: Aero Rubber Company
This is a colorful bench constructed with wood, paints, and fabrics. It features a 3-D fireworks display and a 3-D depiction of the seven Tucker family pets – five dogs and two cats – enjoying the celebration of America’s 250th birthday!
About the Artists: Amy is a Tinley Park resident and mother of two. She’s also a nurse, animal lover, and volunteer at P.A.W.S. of Tinley Park. This is her second year participating in the Benches on the Avenue program.
The Promise of Liberty, 1776-2026
Artist: Marty Rose
Sponsor: Tinley Park Park District
In this patriotic bench, Lady Liberty holds the birthday torch high above the Constitution and the very first flag of the United States showing 13 stars for the 13 original colonies. The bench is constructed with plywood and acrylic paints.
About the Artists: Marty is a long-time resident of Tinley Park who has participated in the Benches on the Avenue for many years. He is one of the first and most prolific Benches artists.
America’s Birthday
Artist: Dante DiBartolo and his Retired Minions
Sponsor: Arsenal Hair Salon
This bench shows a celebration of America as enjoyed by the creative team’s pets as a stand-in for them. Also featured are the Liberty Bell, a bald eagle, and a patriotic flyover. It’s made from plywood and carved wood painted in acrylic.
About the Artists: Dante is a freelance painter and sculptor. He created this bench with his cousin and friends, who call themselves the Retired Minions.
I’m Just a Bill
Artists: Tracie Macejak and Laurie Hottinger (Moraine Valley Community College)
Sponsor: IBEW Local 9
You’ll be singing along to the iconic song from School House Rock as you walk up to this bench! Using various media, fabrics, and metal, the artists bring to life the animated short that taught us all how a bill becomes a law.
About the Artists: Laurie and Tracie are artists, graphic designers, and friends who have worked together at Moraine Valley Community College for many years. Both have extensive experience working in various media and using a wide range of techniques. This is their second year as bench artists.
We the People
Artists: Ashley Matejka
Sponsor: Eggheadz
This bench highlights the quill used to sign the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which signaled to Great Britain and the world that America had arrived. The bench also features the opening phrase of the Preamble to the United States Constitution, drafted in 1787. It was created using wood and acrylic paint.
About the Artists: Ashley is a third-year Bench artist, but this is the first year she’s used her creativity to create a bench on her own. She is a proud mom and a lover of arts and crafts.
Four Fathers
Artists: Kyle Hayes
Sponsor: Christopher Burke
Engineering
This bench depicts Mt. Rushmore and the legendary Americans on it – Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. It’s made of wood, foam, chicken wire, and rock putty.
About the Artists: Kyle is a fourth-year Benches on the Avenue artist that has done large-scale 3D benches whenever possible. This year, he decided to create a bench by himself! In his spare time, he does a lot of woodworking, painting, building, and DIY.
Gilded Liberty
Artist: The Painted Turtle Sponsor: CDE Collission
This golden bench draws inspiration from American gold coinage, which first minted in 1849 during the California Gold Rush. While historic U.S. coins traditionally featured Roman or Native American imagery, this design modernizes that legacy by featuring a contemporary African American woman. Her flowing, wavy hair sweeps across the bench, doubling as the stripes of the American flag. By weaving her image directly into a national symbol, the piece connects historical currency with a powerful celebration of diverse, modern America.
About the Artists: The Painted Turtle is a nonprofit art studio for adults with disabilities in Tinley Park. Artists learn all about art and receive 100% of the profits from the sale of their artwork.
Many thanks to the following contributors whose participation contributed to the success of this project:
» Our generous sponsors for their financial support of this project
» Each and every artist who generously shares his or her time, incredible talent and creativity with the residents and visitors to the village
» Bev Schatte of Aero Rubber Company, Inc. for donating warehouse space to house the benches
Phillip London was a second-year bench artist who sadly passed away on April 16. He was a retired employee of the Department of Revenue and Family Support Services. Phillip had a deep passion for painting Hot Wheels cars, a hobby through which he built lasting friendships in the toy and collectible communities. He could often be found at Closet Collectible, where he generously shared his knowledge, creativity, and enthusiasm with others. Phillip is survived by his son, Levon London, and his siblings. His talent, kindness, and joyful spirit will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Statues on the Avenue
Our village welcomes all of you to take the walking tour along Oak Park Avenue and see the wonderful bronze sculptures we have on display. A special thanks to Emily Zabrocki, former first lady of Tinley Park, for her assistance in selecting the bronze sculptures and for writing the descriptive narratives.
Home Delivery
sculpted by Blair Muhlestein
Home Delivery transports us to an earlier time, much like the buildings that we see from the plaza. Here we see a young man, taking pride in his bike and his delivery of papers. Many of us remember the responsibilities of the papers delivered on time, as well as the drudgery of getting up early and facing those bad weather days!
Long May It Wave
sculpted by Blair Muhlestein
Three children recreate the battle-weary flag-bearer and fife and drum players of the Revolutionary War as they play. This sculpture takes on added significance as we remember the events of September 11, 2001. We continue to take pride in our flag and what it symbolizes and remember to rejoice in our freedoms as Americans.
The Good Book
sculpted by Mark Lundeen
This sculpture captures the bond between the old and young. Many of us remember a grandmother, favorite aunt, neighbor or friend reading to us as we sat enjoying not only the story, but the sense of sharing and love that brought us together.
First Star
sculpted by Dennis
Smith
In First Star, a father, rooted as an observatory, scans the dusky sky of a summer day, searching for that first evening star, creating for his daughter a vision of a broad universe beyond anything her young mind can yet imagine.
Tinley Park Firefighters
sculpted by A. Joseph Kinkle
The design of this statue was selected to depict those early days, a firefighter called to duty with a look of determination and concern to handle the task at hand. This tribute contains the names of all firefighters who served Tinley Park during the first 100 years, 1901 to 2001
Twist in Time
sculpted by James Haire
Here we see a young boy enjoying a fine summer day on a rope swing beneath the branch of a favorite tree. Most of us remember the joy of feeling the wind brush across our face as we swoop up and down, up and down, higher and higher on the swings of our youth.
Heading Out
sculpted by Dennis Smith
Heading Out is an image about beginnings. Think about the mind and vision of a child; the trial and error—the pure work that accompanies the task of learning to walk. Beyond the falls, the bumps and bruises of the effort, finally those first steps take form and the child heads out into the world.
Dorothy and Friends
sculpted by Phyllis C. Beattie
This sculpture was originally commissioned to memorialize Dorothy Vogt, who was a community leader and volunteer in Arapahoe County, Colorado. It depicts Mrs. Vogt as a young girl, doing what she loved best, reading with her dog in the park.
Tender Touch
sculpted by George Lundeen
Tender Touch is a life-size sculpture of a young woman dressed in period clothing from the turn of the century. This woman stands between Fulton House and the train station and brings to mind the early settlers who underwent difficult journeys and untold hardships to find promise of a better life.
