Tim Glover’s spiraling sculpture “Whirlwind” adorned Heights Boulevard’s esplanade for the project’s early 2015 exhibition, and this year he presents the whimsically delightful “Margy’s Menagerie”—titled for his late mother-in-law, Margy Doyle, who, during the work’s early conceptual process, suggested the elephant form. Glover says, “The idea took hold” and further inspired a carousel of Margy’s favorite fantastical characters to occupy the sculpture’s found tubular glass center—originally used for holding industrial chemical compounds.

Glover’s artwork has been described as imagist in the tradition of the Hairy Who of 60s Chicago. Grounded in object making, some works reference social, political, environmental, and cultural issues—mixing in a little satire for good measure. With a studio practice in Houston since 1986, Glover also taught and mentored aspiring young artists at Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts from 1987 until his recent retirement. During that time he received numerous grants and honors for his professional achievements, including the distinguished Pollack-Krasner Award and the Teacher Recognition Award, Presidential Scholars Program, U.S. Department of Education. His sculptural works have been shown in numerous galleries, museums, and municipalities, including Art Car Museum, Houston; Houston Baptist University (now Houston Christian University); Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts, Lubbock; and Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois. His works are in permanent collections that include the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, University of Houston; Children’s Museum Houston; Washington/Westcott roundabout, Houston; METRORail at Preston and Main Street Square, Houston; and Buffalo Bayou Park, Houston.