On a winter morning five years ago, I stood at a bus-stop in uptown Chicago. I hopped from one foot to the other, trying to generate heat inside my flimsy cocoon. The hair inside my nostrils was rigid like stalactites…

I speak with Don Colley about the ways in which he finds character and beauty in his urban surroundings, while not shying away from the ugly aspects of our world.

Last weekend, we went kayaking in the Chicago river. Afterwards, as we stood in line for a patio table at the Metropolitan Brewery.

After all, what is a sculpture doing? Around important public amenities — like buses and buildings and traffic lights — what business does it have?

Out of the blue, I received a commission like none other before - a 4x4ft canvas to complete inside a week!