Written by Susan Burton | October 2025
A striking new figure now greets visitors at Nature At The Confluence in Sout Beloit — meet Woodrow the Woodpecker, a nine-foot-tall mosaic sculpture created through the SPARK 2025 Kids Camp and made possible in part by support from Sinissippi Audubon and the Rockford Area Arts Council.
Pedestal designs were created by students
Woodrow’s creation is the perfect example of what happens when art, nature, and community collaboration come together. Built using the innovative Polydam sculptural technique, the form was first carved from Styrofoam, then coated with fiberglass mesh and custom cement formulas to create a strong, weather-resistant surface. Once the structure was complete, the real magic began.
Over the course of two weeks, 29 young artists worked together under the guidance of lead artist Susan Burton to bring Woodrow to life. The campers spent roughly 120 hours designing, cutting, and placing hundreds of pieces of colorful glass to form the sculpture’s vivid mosaic surface. The woodpecker’s body — with its brilliant red head, striking black-and-white feathers, and lifelike details — was designed and hand-cut by Burton and the students. The base, however, is where the children’s creativity truly shines. Each camper designed and installed a unique mosaic section featuring bright flowers, leaves, and handprints, representing their personal connection to nature and community. They even added glow-in-the-dark glass tiles, giving Woodrow a gentle shimmer under the stars.
City of South Beloit staff supported the sculpture installation
Woodrow the Woodpecker is more than a sculpture. He’s a symbol of creativity, teamwork, and the beauty of nature — all things that Sinissippi Audubon helps inspire. Now standing proudly on his pedestal, Woodrow invites everyone to pause, look closer, and appreciate both the craftsmanship and the sense of wonder that fueled his creation. He serves as a reminder that when young people are given the chance to work together in art and conservation, their impact truly lights up the world — sometimes, quite literally.
Artist Susan Burton next to the completed artwork
More about the red-headed woodpecker, written by Jennifer Kuroda:
Sometimes called the “flying checkerboard, the red-headed woodpecker is a boldly colored bird with a bright red head, white body, and black and white wings. They are one of seven woodpeckers that live in Illinois. Both the male and female look exactly the same. This woodpecker is omnivorous, eating seeds on the ground and catching insects in the air.
National Audubon’s Survival by Degrees report indicates that the red-headed woodpecker is a species of bird highly vulnerable to climate change and habitat loss. Highly vulnerable birds may lose more than half of their current range—the geographic area where they live—as they are forced to search for suitable habitat and climate conditions elsewhere. The Audubon Mural Project is a public art initiative that brings awareness to species like the red-headed woodpecker. This year the Rockford Area Arts Council partnered with Sinnissippi Audubon for the SPARK! Mosaic camp led by artist. Susan Burton. Jennifer Kuroda, Sinnissippi Audubon, worked with Susan to select bird species that are threatened by climate change for this summer program. Students from across Winnebago County attended the camp where they helped complete Woodrow, the red-headed woodpecker. There are other completed pieces from SPARK! located at Haskell School in Rockford, Illinois and at the corner of Elm St. and S. Wyman, also in Rockford.
Click here to learn more about the creations from the collaboration between Sinnissippi Audubon and SPARK 2025 Kids Camp.
