1984 Bird's Eye View of Chicago
By: Kay Smith
Date: 1984 (dated)
Dimensions: 17.75 x 26.25 inches
A unique look back at Chicago during the mid-1980s. This print of an original watercolor by Kay Smith presents the city of Chicago from a Bird's Eye View perspective looking North from just south of the I-55 and Lake Shore Drive Intersection.
This limited edition print (162 of 800) features the city's four most prominent skyscrapers of 1984; The Sears Tower (now Willis Tower), which at the time was the tallest building in the world, the Aon Center, the John Hancock Center, and Water Tower Place. McCormick Place, which was then and still is the largest convention center in the world is shown just west of Meigs Field, the single runway airport shields Burnham harbor, the site of the 1933 Century of Progress World's Fair. In traditional Chicago fashion, Meigs Field was closed in 2003 when May Richard Daley bulldozed the air strip overnight without any notice, in violation of FAA regulations. Also shown is a view of the original Soldier's Field, home of the Chicago Bears before the extensive remodel of 2002-04.
Many notable attractions, developments, and skyscrapers absent from this view that would be built at a later date include...
- The Franklin Center (1984)
- 311 South Waker Dr. (1990)
- Two Prudential Plaza (1990)
- The Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier (1995)
- Millenium Park (2004)
- A litany of condominiums in the South Loop
- Trump Hotel & Tower (2009)
- Vista Tower (2020)
Kay Smith was born in Vandalia, Illinois (first state capital 1819 - 1839) and moved to Chicago during WWII where she attended classes at the Art Institute. She worked as a commercial illustrator until the 1970s, when she turned to historical subjects. She visited historical sites to depict them accurately and raise awareness about these sites importance to the national heritage. For 21 years, Smith taught a watercolor class at the Old Town Triangle Art Center in Old Town, Chicago.
Condition: Print is in A condition with some light waves to the paper. Margins are full on all sides and colors are bright.
Inventory #11669
1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622