TP_061319

tinleyjunction.com life & arts
the Tinley Junction | June 13, 2019 | 17
Benches on the Avenue brighten up Tinley for summer
Karina Lopez, Editorial Intern
Walking down the sidewalks
of Downtown Tinley
Park, pedestrians can
look to their right and left
and see various vibrant art
pieces.
The annual Benches on
the Avenue has made its
return for the 16th year.
Twenty-two three-dimensional
benches based
off of famous books can
be found in front of popular
restaurants and establishments.
This year’s
theme is prized page turners,
which is based off familiar
classic books such
as Dr. Seuss to new books
such as “Maze Runner.”
Jason Freeman, the
public information coordinator
for the Village,
said that the benches have
been a staple of Tinley
Park since 2004.
“It’s been a great program
that has been loved,”
Freeman said.
The coordinator for
the program the last
three years, Joanne Carroll,
echoed Freeman and
said that everybody who
comes downtown seems
to enjoy looking at the
various benches.
“Families enjoy going
out there and taking pictures,”
she said. “I’ve seen
little preschool groups go
out there and they take
pictures on the benches.”
Sherne Ordaz, one of 14
Tinley residents, created
her piece titled ready, set,
color as her bench, which
is based off of coloring
books. Her inspiration
came from being able to
give the kids a coloring
book world. Ordaz makes
it a point to add recycled
items that were found in
her home or community.
“They add more character,
being able to turn a
piece of junk into something
else,” Ordaz said.
It look Ordaz nearly six
to seven weeks to complete
the bench. For the
three-dimensional aspect
she added clear glass for
everyone to be able to see
something.
“So when you look inside
the bench, a page
comes to life,” Ordaz said.
This being Ordaz’s fifth
bench, it can be seen on
the corner of Ed & Joes
Pizza.
Raye Ann Saunons
owner of Ray of Color
for 20 years has created
a Gone Like the Wind
bench based on her favorite
novel “Gone With the
Wind,” a classic American
novel by Margaret
Mitchell set in the south
during the Civil war.
This has been Saunons’
eleventh bench and she
hopes to continue to inspire
young children.
“It’s inspiring to younger
generations to be an artist,
art is inspiring,” Saunons
said.
It took Saunons about a
week to finish the bench,
which she said was because
she paints every
day for a career that it
becomes second nature to
her.
“When I paint, I paint
through my heart, I put
everything into it,” Saunons
said.
It’s a family tradition to
go look at all the benches
every year for her and she
hopes to create a bench
with her granddaughter in
the future.
Unlike Saunons, artist
Dante DiBartolo will be
showcasing his art for the
first time this year.
Please see benches, 18
Raymond (left) and his brother Russell Bernhart sit on one of the 22 benches on display downtown Tinley Park as
part of Benches on the Avenue that runs through October. The bench is based off the Dr. Seuss story “A Fish out
of Water.”
Artist Sherne Ordaz, a Tinley resident, created her piece titled Ready, Set, Color as her bench, which can be seen
on the corner of Ed & Joe’s Pizza. She added clear glass for pedestrians to be able to see something inside.
Photos by Karina Lopez/22nd Century Media