Month: February 2024

Spring Nature Art Exhibit Opens April 5, 2024 at The Morton Arboretum

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
Poster artwork, Gray Crowned Crane, by Lindsay Sandbothe, design by Jane Kellenberger

Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will exhibit more than 200 works of nature art on April 5, 6, and 7, 2024 at the Cudahy Room at The Morton Arboretum.

The exhibit will be open to Arboretum visitors on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 am until 4 pm. In addition, friends, family, and all those who appreciate nature art are invited to a reception on Friday evening between 4:30 and 7 to enjoy light refreshments, art demonstrations, and opportunities to meet many of the artists.

The Guild is pleased to announce that the Featured Artist for the Spring 2024 Nature Art Exhibit is Lindsay Sandbothe, whose stunning paintings of birds and other animals are filled with joy and beauty.

Artists who join or renew membership in the Nature Artists’ Guild before March 8, 2024 will be eligible to receive a prospectus for the opportunity to exhibit. Basic guidelines for exhibiting can be found here. The final day for all members to register for the exhibit (online or postmarked by) is March 8. Registrations and fees (cash or check) will also be accepted in person at the Guild-sponsored March 7 program at the Thornhill Education Center.

More than Mammals at the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
Photos from Virtual Tour of the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum

There’s little doubt that the large mammals initially grab visitors’ attention at the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum, but smaller specimens, with their intricate textures, colors, and designs, can be every bit as fascinating for nature artists.

On Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 9 am, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will meet at the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum at Benedictine University to draw, paint, sketch, study, and photograph some of the more than 10,000 specimens in their collection.

Interested members can register here or by contacting Paint-Out Coordinator Celia Rodee to be added to her email list for further details and updates.

‘Paintings, Prints, and Textiles’ with Rachel Davis on March 7, 2024

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
Aquatic Plant 2, copyright Rachel Davis. Click on the image for more about Rachel and her work.

Multi-talented artist Rachel Davis will share methods and inspirations behind some of her ‘Paintings, Prints, and Textiles‘ with members of the Nature Artists’ Guild and guests in a special presentation at The Morton Arboretum.

Rachel Davis has been creating art inspired by nature since earning her MFA at the University of Wisconsin, and her skills and education are apparent throughout her works. Rachel’s textiles featuring natural dyes, prints, field guide illustrations, and even sketchbooks share the comment elements of color and delight.

The Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum is pleased to sponsor a program by Rachel Davis at its Thornhill Education Center on Thursday, March 7, 2024 from 7 until 9 pm.

The program is open to all, completely free of charge. There is no requirement to be a member of the Guild or the Arboretum. Visitors can let the gate attendant at The Morton Arboretum know they are there for the presentation to be admitted and directed to Thornhill.

If you’d like to learn more about receiving these posts by email (approximately one per week), please click here.

Coming Soon for the Nature Artists’ Guild

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
Hail to the Kingbird, copyright Lindsay Sandbothe. Lindsay will be the Nature Artists’ Guild’s Featured Artist of the 2024 Spring Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum.

As spring begins to peek around the corner, the Nature Artists’ Guild looks forward to all the wonders that it brings.

For the Nature Artists’ Guild, spring brings not only the return of all the wonderful flora and fauna of the season, but also an exhibit at The Morton Arboretum, paint-outs, and a presentation by a talented artist.

  • A spring tradition for the Nature Artists’ Guild is the annual paint-out at the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum at Benedictine College in Lisle, IL. The Guild will have exclusive access for sketching, painting, and photographing some of the bird, mammal, insect, and reptile specimens in the museum’s collection on the morning of March 7, 2023. While members are welcome to drop by any time that morning, registering in advance will ensure that they receive any emails with details and updates about the paint-out.
  • The March 7, 2024 program sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild at The Morton Arboretum will feature Rachel Davis, a talented artist who will share techniques and inspirations for her fabulous and fun work in “painting, prints, and textiles.” The presentation, from 7 until 9 pm at the Thornhill Education Center of the Arboretum will be open to all, free of charge. (Copies of the Spring Nature Art Exhibit’s postcards and posters will also be available that evening for members to take and share with friends and local businesses.)
  • The Nature Artists’ Guild’s annual Spring Nature Art Exhibit has marked the beginning of the season at The Morton Arboretum for more than 30 years. This year’s exhibit will include approximately 200 works of art by more than 50 members of the Guild, including Featured Artist Lindsay Sandbothe, from April 5 through April 7, 2024. Members of the Guild were emailed a link to the prospectus and online registration form on February 5. Much more to come soon!
Towards Arctic Shores, lithograph, copyright Lars Jonsson, Sweden. Photo courtesy of Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum.

Note – While the Nature Artists’ Guild was unfortunately unable to organize a field trip to the Plum Creek Nature Center to experience the internationally renowned Birds in Art exhibit, we encourage our members to consider visiting (about an hour’s drive from The Morton Arboretum) before February 25, 2024. 

The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin selected 112 pieces from many of the best bird artists from throughout the world to be included in their 48th annual Birds in Art exhibit for 2023. 60 of those pieces are now traveling to a limited number of venues on their touring exhibition throughout the United States, and their first stop is in Illinois, brought to the Forest Preserve District of Will County through funding by the Nature Foundation of Will County (a recent sponsor of a Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit).

Paint-Out at Orchids by Hausermann February 8, 2024

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
Greenhouse at Orchids by Hausermann and artwork by (clockwise) Maggie Mardis, Linda Fairbanks, Nancy Wu

This Thursday, February 8, 2024, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will return for their annual ‘trip to the tropics’ at the greenhouse of one of the world’s largest growers of orchids, Orchids by Hausermann.

Whatever the weather outside, inside the greenhouse it will be balmy and filled with the sights and scents of the tropics. The paint-out begins at 7:30 am and continues until 10. The early start allows our artists to have exclusive use of the facility before the showroom opens to the public. 

To help the creativity flow at such an early hour, Paint-out Coordinator Celia Rodee will supply hot coffee and a delicious snack to all attendees. In addition, one lucky participant will be randomly chosen to receive a gift certificate towards the purchase of a stunning orchid to bring home!  Interested members can register here and be added to the email list for updates and details, or contact Celia by email.