LONNIE STEWART, "ANGEL MONUMENT," circa 1984

bronze, marble base. figure approx. 6' tall, wingspan 3' Located: East Linwood Cemetery, West Main Street at Linwood Rd., Galesburg, Ill.

Other works: Stewart, an internationally recognized artist, has paintings and sculptures the world over. They include three public works: "Lion, Bear and Cubs" and "Bald Eagle" at The Shoppes at Grand Prairie, Peoria, Ill.; Mother Teresa in the courtyard of the Peoria Chancery and a mural, "Le Vieux Carre Mardi Gras" at 112 State St., Peoria. A bust of Ronald Reagan by Stewart is on display in the Peace Garden at Eureka College, Eureka, Ill.

Created for a young woman tragically killed in a traffic accident, this monumental grave marker is a genuine work of contemporary art. Like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, the slender female figure leans forward with feathered arms reaching skyward, high above all the other grave markers. While the mood of the sculpture is completely uplifting, the angel's gaze is downward directly on the grave.

Though thoroughly modern in sculptural approach, it evokes Classical beauty and Classical pathos.