Rugby, N.D. – Travelers heading south on Highway 3 will now see a striking new landmark: a 68‑foot by 14‑foot glass sculpture called Sky/Dream. Designed by the husband‑and‑wife team Nicole and Alan Milligan of Milligan Studio, the piece is the latest installment of the Arts Across the Prairie program, which aims to place eight large‑scale monuments throughout North Dakota.
Celebrating community under an expansive sky
“It’s about celebrating community under an expansive sky. It makes your heart larger, and your ambition larger, because you realize this is an epic place,” said Nicole Milligan during the unveiling. The sculpture’s design was inspired by feathers, a nod to the fact that waterfowl make up roughly 57% of the nation’s bird population. Alan Milligan explained that the feather motif was refined several times to ensure the structure could endure the state’s strong winds and harsh weather.
A collaborative effort
More than 100 local residents contributed to the project by placing individual pieces of colored glass into the work. “It suddenly took on this different energy, that this is like a hopeful thing,” Nicole noted, emphasizing the community’s role in shaping the final piece.
Art that frames the prairie landscape
According to Alan, the sculpture is intended to act as a visual frame for the surrounding sky and landscape: “It gets you to lift your head and actually look through it and see the sky, so it’s kind of a frame for the nature around it.” The Milligan Studio, based in St. Paul, has installed sculptures worldwide, and was selected two years ago as the Region 2 artists for the Arts Across the Prairie initiative.
Looking ahead
While Sky/Dream is now complete, other regions of the state are at various stages of development, with some projects slated to begin next year. The program reflects a broader effort to use public art as a tool for creative placemaking, fostering pride and identity in North Dakota’s communities.
Drivers are encouraged to keep an eye out for the new sculpture the next time they travel south on Highway 3, and to consider how public art can continue to enrich the everyday experience of North Dakota’s residents.
Original reporting: KFYR-TV Bismarck (news) — read the source article.
