As part of her final senior project in the computer class of Mechanical Engineering and Design, SHS Senior, Lily Bowens of Brainard is creating the series of miniature copies of all seven of the existing I-80 Sculptures from the 1976 Bicentennial Sculpture Garden on Nebraska’s I-80. For the “USA-250” United States of America’s 250th Birthday, the Nebraska Arts Council has focused on the seven sculptures and a rededication on July 4, 2026 weekend.
She is the daughter of Katie Stolze and Craig Stolze and her computer class instructor/advisor is SHS educator -Kurt Holliday. She plans to attend Wichita State in the field of Aerospace Design.
“When the Seward Arts Council was looking for a student to create these sculptures for the Fourth, I turned to Lily and she was excited to volunteer,” commented Kurt Holliday. “She is a very dedicated student to this program, and I am anxious to see it completed, and I am sure she is as well!”
“The theme for the “USA-250” celebration-the Semiquincentennial of the US, is “One Nation-Many Stories,” commented Jeanne Wiemer, President of the Seward Arts Council. “I am sure each of the seven sculptures has a story and it will be interesting to see those stories shared. We so appreciate the work of Lily Bowens and anxious to showcase her talent.”
“We will have a room dedicated at the Civic Center to our local “Arrival” sculpture and we plan to include Lily’s exhibit there too, continued Wiemer. ‘We will have model of the “Arrival” on hand and a photo opportunity as well, with the “Arrival” as the backdrop. One of the remaining sculpture artists is scheduled to talk at the Civic Center at 10:00 AM.
She was asked by the Seward Arts Council to recreate the seven remaining 1-80 sculptures through her 3-D Printing Process, to be on display at the Civic Center during the Seward Fourth of July.
The Seward/Milford Sculpture at the “Blue River Rest Area” on I-80 Mile Marker #381 Eastbound, is named “Arrival” and was created by the late New York Artist Paul von Ringelheim, who was native to Austria. In 1976, after winning the commission to do one of the 1-80 sculptures, he traveled to Seward to install his 40-foot aluminum sculpture. The dedication happened during the Seward Fourth of July in 1976 and will be re-dedicated on July 4, 2026, at 2:00 by Governor Pillen.
For more information contact Clark Kolterman, July 4, Seward at clark.kolterman@sewardschools.org or call 402-641-8522.