Three Nature Artists on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at The Morton Arboretum

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Artwork copyrighted by (left to right) Joe Rizzo, Cindy Franks, Alice Wych

Everyone is invited to an evening of nature art at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum.

Three members of the Nature Artists’ Guild, Alice Wych, Cindy Franks, and Joe Rizzo will be sharing tips, techniques, and inspiration from 7 until 9 pm on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum. Audience members will be free to rotate through all three 20-minute presentations (or attend any one of them two or three times!) There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and get close-up views of the artists’ work and materials.

This presentation, sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild, is open to the public, free of charge. There will be no fee to attend and no fee for admission to The Morton Arboretum for the event. Tickets are not required. Visitors can let the Arboretum gate attendant they are there for the program to be admitted and directed to Thornhill.

This and That for the Nature Artists’ Guild

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Garden of Anne and Charles Bouchard, Glen Ellyn, IL. Photo credit Anne and Charles Bouchard.

Now that members of the Nature Artists’ Guild have had time to experience some of the beauty and wonder (as well as yard work and gardening) that are all part of spring in Chicagoland, it is time to get back to creating and sharing some art!

Coming up for the Nature Artists’ Guild –

  • Registrations for participation in the upcoming special exhibit at the McCord Gallery are due by May 24, 2023 (just four days from now!) The prospectus and a link to the registration form were emailed to all members on April 29. The McCord Gallery, just half an hour from The Morton Arboretum, features a wonderful gallery space and is active in promoting their exhibits with a reception, postcards, and community outreach. For the first time, Nature Artists’ Guild members will be eligible to also register artwork not previously shown at the Arboretum (details here).
  • May 30, 2023 is the final day to visit the Guild’s exhibit at the Woodridge Public Library, More than thirty pieces of nature art by members of the Guild were exhibited in their gallery space for all visitors to the library to enjoy and be inspired by throughout the month.
  • On Thursday evening, June 1, 2023, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild, guests, and visitors will meet at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum for the annual “Trio of Nature Artists” program featuring three members of the Guild demonstrating and discussing fascinating techniques they use for creating nature art. This event is open to the public, free of charge (details here).
  • Guild members are invited to a paint-out at a stunning private garden in Glen Ellyn on the morning of June 15, 2023. Paint-Out Coordinator Celia Rodee will be offering coffee and scones to attendees to add to the enjoyment of what promises to be an idyllic morning. Members who would like to attend should notify Celia by email or by clicking here. Photos and details (scone flavors!) coming soon.
  • The weekly Art and Coffee gatherings continue to meet each Wednesday morning between 9 and 11 at the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum. All members of the Nature Artists’ Guild as well as those interested in hearing more about the Guild are welcome to stop by. The meeting place is absolutely surrounded by blooms this spring and when the weather permits, attendees can move outdoors to enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents of the morning.
  • It’s the perfect time of the year for Guild members to visit another location from the Joy’s Vision project to sketch or gather reference material. Joy Path (including the Fragrance Garden) will be particularly fetching.

A Trio of Nature Artists on June 1, 2023 at The Morton Arboretum

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It is an annual tradition for the Nature Artists’ Guild to invite three of its members to share some of their skills, methods, materials, and inspirations with fellow members and visitors at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum.

On Thursday, June 1, 2023, from 7 until 9 pm, Guild members Alice Wych, Cindy Franks, and Joe Rizzo will give short presentations on some of their favorite methods for creating nature art. Attendees will be able to ask questions, get an up-close view of the artists’ materials and artwork, and enjoy the wonderful opportunity to watch the artists’ at work.

This year’s Trio –

Mauvelous Mallow, copyright Alice Wych

Alice Wych will be sharing tips about techniques and materials she uses to create the glow of color pencil on a dark surface.

Sunflower, copyright Cindy Franks

Cindy Franks will be using stains to create subtle value changes resulting in stunning images on wood.

Yellow Canopy, copyright Joe Rizzo

Joe Rizzo will be sharing a fascinating technique in which he hand-crinkles masa paper and uses varied brush strokes to create “the illusion of water movement and textured surfaces.”

The public is invited to this presentation sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild free of charge. There is no fee for attendance, parking, or admission to the Arboretum for this event, and tickets are not necessary. Visitors can simply let the gate attendant at The Morton Arboretum know they are there for the presentation to be directed to the Thornhill Education Center.

Exhibit at McCord Gallery by the Nature Artists’ Guild in June 2023

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I’m Hiding in the Tall Grass, charcoal, copyright Deana Bada Maloney will be included in the Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit at the McCord Gallery in June 2023

The McCord Gallery & Cultural Center began in a historic building in Palos Park, IL, has since expanded with an annex that includes an “expanded gallery, classroom, stage, and full kitchen facilities,” and now functions as a treasured “learning center for the arts and cultural history.”

Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild have been invited to participate in a special exhibit at the gallery from June 10 through July 7, 2023. A reception will be held on the afternoon of June 11.

For the first time, new work (not previously shown at a Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit at The Morton Arboretum) will also be eligible for the special exhibit. Members who wish to include not-previously-exhibited work can do so by completing the registration form (online or by mail) and separately emailing a photo of the work (including mat and frame if applicable) to Maggie Mardis for approval of compliance to Guild guidelines for subject matter and presentation. Previously shown (at a Guild exhibit) artwork does not require further review and can be registered without emailing a photo.

Links to the prospectus and registration form were emailed to members of the Nature Artists’ Guild on April 29, and completed forms must be returned by May 24. Contact information for Maggie Mardis can be found in the Guild’s Yearbook.

McCord House, photo credit McCordGallery.org

Nature Artists’ Guild Exhibit at Woodridge Library throughout May 2023

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Poster artwork by Cheryl Holz

All are invited to stop in at the Woodridge Public Library during regular library hours to enjoy a special exhibit of nearly thirty works of art by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum. The exhibit will continue through the end of May 2023.

In other Nature Artists’ Guild news –

  • Guild members who have contributions for the summer issue of the Quarterly should email them to Jane Kellenberger by today, May 1.
  • There will be a gathering for Art and Coffee this Wednesday from 9 until 11 at the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum. Members and their guests, as well as visitors wishing to learn more about the Nature Artists’ Guild, are welcome to stop by.
  • A prospectus for the special exhibit at McCord Gallery & Cultural Center was emailed to all members of the Nature Artists’ Guild on April 29. Completed registrations must be returned by May 24 (by mail or online with the link provided on the prospectus). More details to come.

It’s Nearly Lilacia Time for the Nature Artists’ Guild

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Photo credit LombardLilacTime.com

Next week’s Nature Artists’ Guild’s paint-out at Lilacia Park in Lombard, IL will be held just days before the official opening of the city’s annual Lilac Time celebration, so many of the more than 700 lilacs and 35,000 tulips should be blooming!

On Thursday morning, May 4, 2023 (rain date of Friday, May 5), members of the Guild will gather between 9:30 am and noon at the historic 8.5-acre park to sketch, paint, photograph, and enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents.

Artists can enjoy the use of the park’s council rings, design elements frequently used by renowned Prairie School landscape architect Jens Jensen (whose vision was instrumental in the design or re-design of Columbus Park, Humboldt Park, and Garfield Park in Chicago and in nearly 600 other public and private projects).

According to the Lombard Historical Society, “A council ring becomes a destination for the wanderer, a spot where a visitor can enjoy solitude or a couple of visitors can have a quiet conversation without being on view to other wanderers. Lilacia Park is one of Jensen’s smallest designs and contains, to this day, many of Jensen’s signature elements.”

All members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are welcome to stop by, and can register here to be added to Paint-Out Coordinator Celia Rodee’s email list to receive details and updates.

Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2023 Spring Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum

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  • Jewels of Spring, copyright Beth Berry
  • Morning Meeting, copyright Vicki Liszewski
  • Let Nature Sing, copyright Yvonne Buckley
  • House Wren, copyright Vicki Liszewski
  • Reddish Egret, copyright Nancy Thyfault
  • Magenta Lined Orchids, copyright Kathi Kuchler
  • Out of the Wind, copyright Linda Fairbanks
  • Howard’s Dream, copyright Terrie McComb
  • Autumn Floor, copyright Jeff Walter
  • Zinnia Dance, copyright Maggie Mardis
  • Microcosmos, copyright Laurie Peters
  • Before the Sun Goes Down, copyright Beth Berry
  • Mother Bear, copyright Darcy Berg
  • Optimist, copyright Jeffrey Zawada
  • Spring Pussy Willows, copyright Marlene Vitek
  • Three Trees on the Trail, copyright Beth Berry
  • Eyelash Begonia (Begonia bowerae), copyright Kumie Kim
  • Rosa, copyright Jeff Walter
  • Snowdrops, copyright Marlene Vitek
  • Cantigny Ruby Garden, copyright Janice Czerwinski
  • Sunflower, copyright Cindy Franks
  • Summer Splendor, copyright Maggie Mardis
  • Clematis roguchi, copyright Kumie Kim
  • Pastel Prairie Grass, copyright Cheryl Holz
  • Monarch on Swamp Milkweed, copyright Karen Remkus
  • Helianthus, copyright Laurie Peters
  • Cinnamon, copyright Dan Danielson
  • Daffodil Glade, copyright Marlene Vitek
  • Lady Slipper Orchids, copyright Kathi Kuchler
  • Cantigny Yellow Water Lily, copyright Janice Czerwinski
  • Myna in Maui, copyright Lindsay Sandbothe
  • Zion II – Virgin River, copyright Joe Rizzo
  • Golden Eagle, copyright Dan Danielson
  • Spring Renewed, copyright Cheryl Rausch
  • Prairie Sedge, copyright Terrie McComb
  • Common Redpoll, copyright Mary Voegeli
  • Summer Daydream, copyright Patty Koenigsaecker
  • Two Young Bucks, copyright Carol Cooley
  • Old Guard, copyright Jeffrey Zawada
  • Spring on the Joy Path, copyright Maggie Mardis
  • Negentropy, copyright Laurie Peters
  • Agave, copyright Yvonne Buckley
  • New Beginnings, copyright Kathi Kuchler
  • Birds in Flight, copyright Darcy Berg
  • Lilac breasted Roller, copyright Dan Danielson
  • Water Lily, copyright Ann Lamoureux
  • Harbingers of Spring – Daffodils, copyright Cheryl Holz
  • Banyon Walking, copyright Nancy Thyfault
  • Magenta Madonna, copyright Jeff Walter
  • Fragrant Isle Lavender, copyright Janice Czerwinski
  • Myna in Maui, copyright Lindsay Sandbothe
  • The Courage to Bloom, copyright Laura S. Lucas
  • Robin in her Nest, copyright Celia Rodee
  • Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), copyright Kumie Kim
  • Last Flowers of Winter, copyright Linda Fairbanks
  • Bee on Milkweed, copyright Cindy Franks
  • Snow Glories Peek, copyright Patricia Mroczka
  • Impression, copyright Patricia Mroczka
  • Twisted Poppies, copyright Patricia Mroczka

Please enjoy the more than 50 examples of some of the wonderful artwork recently exhibited at the Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2023 Spring Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum. Larger versions can be seen by clicking on this link to the exhibit page.

Well over 1000 visitors enjoyed approximately 200 works of art created by more than 50 members of the Guild.

The Nature Artists’ Guild would like to thank all the volunteers, artists, Arboretum staff, and visitors for their contributions to the success of the Spring 2023 Art Exhibit.

All artwork exhibited on this website is the sole property of the artists and should not be used or reproduced without their written consent.  If you would like to contact one of the artists, please use the contact form on the About page and you will receive an email reply, normally within 48 hours. Your contact information will not be shared or used for any other purpose.

Nature Artists’ Guild Exhibit at Woodridge Public Library throughout May 2023

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Pastel Prairie Grass by Cheryl Holz

Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are invited to participate in a special exhibit throughout May 2023 at the gallery of the Woodridge Public Library, a large and modern establishment serving over 500,000 visitors per year.

The special exhibit will feature artwork previously shown at The Morton Arboretum and will offer library visitors the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the creativity of the Guild’s artists.

Those members of the Nature Artists’ Guild who would like to participate can register by mail or by completing this online form by April 19. The prospectus for the exhibit was emailed on April 5.

In Other Nature Artists’ Guild News –

  • The 2023 Spring Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum was a resounding success, with well over one thousand visitors stopping in over the weekend to view the wonderful works of nature art. An online sample of the artwork will be coming soon. (Participating artists can still email their artwork images to Denise Fisk before April 19 to be included in the online display.)
  • The muffins, the daffodils, the artists, and the weather were at their best for the recent paint-out at the Arboretum’s Daffodil Glade. The scene of artists dotted across the glade among the daffodils brought some joy to plenty of Arboretum visitors driving or walking by. Some participants will be exhibiting the day’s accomplishments in this autumn’s small-works exhibit, Joy’s Vision.
  • A paint-out has been planned for May 4, 2023 at Lilacia Park , a “horticultural showcase that features over 700 lilacs and 35,000 tulips annually,” in Lombard, IL. The paint-out date is just before the opening of the annual Lilac Time festival, when the blooms will be at their peak. Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild can email Celia Rodee or register here to be added to the email list for details and updates.
  • The Wednesday morning Art and Coffee gatherings continue at the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum, near the cafe, between 9 until 11:30 am. Nature Artists’ Guild members, their guests, or any artists interested in learning more about the Guild are invited to stop by to sketch, sip, chat, or watch the morning unfold in a beautiful setting. With the weather warming up, some participants may even be wandering outdoors for some plein-air work or reference sketches or photos.

Some Spring Events for the Nature Artists’ Guild

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  • The 2023 Spring Art Exhibit featuring over 200 works by more than 50 members of the Nature Artists’ Guild opens at The Morton Arboretum with a reception on the evening of Friday, April 14 and continues throughout the weekend.
  • Forecasters are predicting gorgeous weather for the Daffodil Glade paint-out on the morning of Thursday, April 13, 2023. Just as importantly, paint-out coordinator Celia Rodee is predicting that there were be plenty of Harvest and Blueberry Cornflake muffins for everyone! There is still time for Nature Artists’ Guild members to sign up for the event and receive an email with all the details.
  • The Art and Coffee gathering will not take take place on April 12, but will return on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. So much will be starting to bloom around the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum, and members and their guests are welcome to stop by between 9 and 11:30 to sketch, sip, and chat, or simply enjoy the view.

Artists Creating Art April 14 through 16, 2023

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The Nature Artists’ Guild will feature five of its members creating wonderful artwork in their own unique styles during the hours of the Spring 2023 Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum.

In addition to viewing over 200 pieces of nature art created by more than 50 Guild members, exhibit visitors will be able to watch, converse with, and ask questions as artists share their skills and discuss their artistic inspirations and techniques.

On Friday, April 14, from 7 to 9 pm, Cheryl Rausch will be sharing her skills in depicting the wonders of nature in digital art.

Spring Renewed, digital, copyright Cheryl Rausch

On Saturday, April 15, from 10:30 am until 12:30 pm, visitors will be able to view some of the techniques Dan Danielson uses in creating his bold watercolors.

Golden Eagle, watercolor, copyright Dan Danielson

On Saturday, April 15, from 1 to 3 pm, Joe Rizzo will be bringing alcohol inks to demonstrate their use in creating wonderfully abstract depictions of nature.

Zion II – Virgin River, alcohol ink and oil pastel, copyright Joe Rizzo

On Sunday, April 16, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, Lindsay Sandbothe will share the techniques she uses when working with acrylic on canvas to create her stunning bird paintings.

Myna in Maui, acrylic on canvas, copyright Lindsay Sandbothe

On Sunday, April 16, from 1 to 3 pm, multi-talented artist Kathy Steere will be using water-soluble crayons to add beautiful brilliance to various creations.

Color media (including water-soluble crayon) on fabric, copyright Kathy Steere