Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Kansas 'Blue Sky Sculpture'
AO Edited

'Blue Sky Sculpture'

This vivid painted ceramic sculpture evokes the expansiveness of the prairie sky.

Newton, Kansas

Added By
Ian Lefkowitz
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
A closer view of the ceramic tiles of the “Blue Sky Scuplture.”   ianlefk / Atlas Obscura User
The Blue Sky Sculpture, in Newton’s Centennial Park.   Carol M. Highsmith
The ‘Blue Sky Sculpture’ interacts with the natural cloud patterns of the sky.   ianlefk / Atlas Obscura User
Newton’s “Blue Sky Sculpture”   ianlefk / Atlas Obscura User
  breaingram / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Kansas is known for its flatness, and sometimes it feels as though the sky can stretch across the whole horizon. In Newton, Kansas, a group of talented artists have created a majestic sculpture to harness and evoke this feeling of the expansive sky.

Completed in 2001, the Blue Sky Sculpture was created “to blend with the natural sky,” as a plaque at the viewing stand suggests, which “requires a patient and contemplative viewer.”

Painter Phil Epp worked with ceramicists Terry Corbett and Conrad Snider to create an arced and undulating structure, where the cobalt blue glaze of the ceramic tiles and fluffy white painted clouds reflect the color of the sky throughout the day. Viewers are encouraged to stand in between the sculptures, in what is known as the “sky passageway.” To complete the motif, two giant abstract stoneware figures stand next to the sculpture, further encouraging interactivity.

The sculpture was donated by local philanthropist and inventor Lloyd E. Smith in memory of his wife, Jacqueline, and has since become a symbol of the community, inspiring further designs and being named one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas Art.

Related Tags

Mosaics Art Sculptures Public Art

Know Before You Go

The "Blue Sky Sculpture" is located in Newton's Centennial Park. The park is always open and there is no admission fee.

Community Contributors

Added By

ianlefk

Edited By

breaingram

  • breaingram

Published

September 14, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansas/name/lloyd-smith-obituary?id=14217533
  • https://www.newtonkansas.com/Home/Components/News/News/413/566?npage=34&arch=1
  • https://kansassampler.org/8wondersofkansas-art/blue-sky-sculpture-newton-by-epp-corbett-snider
  • https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansas/name/lloyd-smith-obituary?id=14217533
  • https://www.newtonkansas.com/Home/Components/News/News/413/566?npage=34&arch=1
  • https://kansassampler.org/8wondersofkansas-art/blue-sky-sculpture-newton-by-epp-corbett-snider
'Blue Sky Sculpture'
Newton, Kansas
United States
38.062105, -97.337134
Visit Website

Nearby Places

'El Sueño Original'

Wichita, Kansas

miles away

Original Pizza Hut

Wichita, Kansas

miles away

'Personnages Oiseaux'

Wichita, Kansas

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kansas

Kansas

United States

Places 130
Stories 12

Nearby Places

'El Sueño Original'

Wichita, Kansas

miles away

Original Pizza Hut

Wichita, Kansas

miles away

'Personnages Oiseaux'

Wichita, Kansas

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kansas

Kansas

United States

Places 130
Stories 12

Related Places

  • Detail of the church’s right aisle

    Pratantico, Italy

    The Mosaic of Andreina

    The largest ongoing mosaic project in Europe.

  • A large sculpture in a field with a rainbow behind it.

    Chattanooga, Tennessee

    Sculpture Fields at Montague Park

    Stroll among more than 50 large-scale sculptures created by world-class artists.

    Sponsored by Chattanooga Tourism
  • Basel, Switzerland

    Hammering Man

    This 42-foot tribute to the workforce still reminds us to pause and recharge.

  • ‘Oscar the Bird King’ is one of sculptor Thomas Dambo’s ever-growing army of trolls.

    Vashon, Washington

    Oscar the Bird King

    Thomas Dambo's troll sculpture wears a crown with birdhouses on his head.

  • The rear panel on Çanakçı Heykeli featuring a woman on a donkey.

    Avanos, Turkey

    Çanakçı Heykeli

    This giant work of Cappadocian pottery includes a memorial for the artisan who created it.

  • ‘Square the Block’ at first glance resembles an architectural oddity.

    London, England

    Square the Block

    A jumble of concrete on the corner of one of London’s terraced buildings is actually a work of art.

  • This ‘Traveler’ is not all he appears to be.

    Orlando, Florida

    'The Traveler'

    If you don't look closely, you might mistake this sculpture for just another passenger waiting at the airport.

  • The Pointer

    Corona, New Mexico

    'Cowboy Ruckus'

    Catch two 18-foot-tall ranchers mid-brawl as you drive by on Highway 285.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.