Denise

Farewell to 2023 from the Nature Artists’ Guild

Published on December 29, 2023December 29, 2023 by Denise1 Comment

Deer Morning, copyright Marybeth Devine. Click on the image above for a quick look at 2023 or scroll through this website for all the posts and images.

The Nature Artists’ Guild bids farewell to 2023 with fond memories of programs, paint-outs, parties, exhibits, and the friendship and support of fellow artists.

The Guild would like to welcome first-time and returning members to new opportunities to explore and share the appreciation of nature through art in 2024!

Click here to join or renew

Copyright Heidi Jachna
Copyright Jane Kellenberger
2023 Autumn Cards
Morning Revelation, copyright Beth Berry
2023 Holiday Party Invitation by Margie Navolio
Red Oak Branch, copyright Joanne McKibben
Forest in Ireland, copyright Marybeth Devine
Red Saddlebags Dragonfly, copyright Karen A. Johnson
Naturalist Treasure Trove #1, copyright Cheryl Holz
Short Eared owl, copyright Michelle Buziak
Lakeside Birch, copyright Marlene Vitek
Sparrow, copyright Lisa Kanellos
Sneak Preview, copyright Mary Ann Jimenez
Snowy Enchantment, copyright Mary Roberts
Blown Flower, copyright Joe Rizzo
Near Lake Marmo. Photo credit The Morton Arboretum.
Colorful Ramirezi and Friends, copyright Joe Rizzo
Autumn 2023 Exhibit poster artwork by Joe Rizzo
Green Kingdom, copyright Bryce Lafferty, Visiting Artist
Joy Morton on Joy Path. Photo credit The Morton Arboretum.
Rock and Gravel Garden, Cantigny Gardens
Presenter John Fleck
Copyright Linda Hilderbrant
Landscape in charcoal, copyright John Fleck
The Morton Arboretum, photo credit mortonarb.org
Exhibit postcard, McCord Gallery. Artwork by Alice Wych.
Grand Garden at The Morton Arboretum
Garden of Anne and Charles Bouchard, Glen Ellyn, IL. Photo credit Anne and Charles Bouchard.
House Wren, copyright Vicki Liszewski
McCord Gallery and Cultural Center
Woodridge Library exhibit postcard. Artwork by Cheryl Holz.
Lilacia Park, Lombard, IL
Common Redpoll, copyright Mary Voegeli
Myna in Maui, copyright Lindsay Sandbothe
Last Flowers of Winter, copyright Linda Fairbanks
Robin in her Nest, copyright Celia Rodee
Snow Glories Peek, copyright Patricia Mroczka
Watercolors by presenter Thomas Trausch
Lion specimen at Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum
Book by online presenter Amy Lindenberger
Examples of 8 x 8 artwork for Joy’s Vision project
Specimens at the Herbarium at The Morton Arboretum
Gardens at Ball, photo credit ballhort.com
Ball Horticultural
Great Blue Heron, copyright Jill Adzia
My Favorite Flower, in progress and complete, copyright Mary Ann Jimenez
Morning Meeting, copyright Vicki Liszewski
Jewels of Spring, copyright Beth Berry
Winter 2023 cards
Spring 2023 Exhibit poster. Artwork by Pat Mcrozka.
Summer Splendor, copyright Maggie Mardis
Various spring events
Frames at Colbert Custom Framing
Mauvelous Mallow, copyright Alice Wych
Artwork by member program presenters Joe Rizzo, Cindy Franks, Alice Wych

Season’s Greetings from the Nature Artists’ Guild

Published on December 22, 2023January 27, 2024 by DeniseLeave a comment

Copyright Bernadette Hanacek. Click on the image to view more cards!

The Nature Artists’ Guild would like to wish everyone a joyful holiday season and invite all to take a moment to enjoy some wonderful cards created and shared by members of the Guild.

Many thanks to all the artists who contributed! Participants in the card exchange can still send images of cards sent or received by December 31 to have them added to the online display.

This Week for the Nature Artists’ Guild

Published on December 15, 2023December 23, 2023 by DeniseLeave a comment

Nature Artists’ Guild members registered for the 2024 Downers Grove Public Library exhibit can drop off their artwork tomorrow, December 16, between 10 and 11:30 am (specifics are in the prospectus emailed on November 18).

Guild members participating in the 2023 Holiday Card Exchange should send their handmade cards by tomorrow, December 16.

Members should renew for 2024 (or new members join) by the end of this month to ensure receiving all the benefits of membership for the new year.

Top to bottom: Detail of January 9, copyright Maggie Capettini, 2022 Holiday Card Project samples, Nature Artists’ Guild logo.

Downers Grove Library to Feature the Nature Artists’ Guild throughout January 2024

Published on December 9, 2023December 15, 2023 by DeniseLeave a comment

January 9, oil, copyright Maggie Capettini

A flash of color in the subtle landscape is often a welcome sight for artists, photographers, and other wanderers of the woods and fields during the winter months. Maggie Capettini found her inspiration and depicted it with wonderful exuberance in ‘January 9’.

Two of Maggie’s winter landscapes will be exhibited along with botanical, wildlife, garden, and other scenes of nature in all seasons by fellow members of the Nature Artists’ Guild at the Downers Grove Public Library throughout January 2024.

The Downers Grove Public Library has a long history of supporting the visual arts, with an expansive gallery area and numerous works by local and internationally-renowned artists in their permanent collection. Each January, the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum adds to the library visitors’ artistic experience with its own special exhibit.

Guild members were emailed the prospectus and all the details on December 8. Registrations (online or by mail) must be submitted by December 11, 2023 to participate.

Nature Artists’ Guild’s Annual Celebration Tomorrow!

Published on December 6, 2023December 6, 2023 by DeniseLeave a comment

While celebrating the season with their fellow artists and guests, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild can look forward to –

Wonderful food shared by members of the Guild
The lovely setting of festively decorated Thornhill
A fun raffle of items inspired by art or nature (tickets are cash or check only)
Live music in the Founder’s Room, the historic former library of the Morton family
An opportunity to sign up for the annual card exchange (blank cards available)
An opportunity to renew membership dues for 2024 in person (cash or check only)
Good company and an enjoyable evening

Invitations with details about the party were recently emailed to members of the Nature Artists’ Guild.

Creative Cards to Share Some Cheer

Published on December 2, 2023December 6, 2023 by DeniseLeave a comment

A sample of holiday cards from 2022. Please click here or on the image to see the full versions and the artists’ names along with other cards from last year.

A cup of hot cocoa, some holiday music, maybe even a crackling fire (in the fireplace or on a screen) and a few art supplies. What better way to spend an hour or two during the holiday season?

The Nature Artists’ Guild invites all of its members to take some time during this busy season to share their creativity and brighten the day of a fellow artist. The annual Holiday Card Exchange has become a popular Guild tradition, and all that’s required to participate is some paper, an envelope and stamp, and some basic art supplies.

The last day to register for the Holiday Card Exchange is Thursday, December 7, 2023. Members can register online here, by emailing Celia Rodee, or in person at the Holiday Party. On December 8, Celia will email each participant the name and address of their card’s recipient. All cards should be mailed by December 16.

The Nature Artists’ Guild guidelines are somewhat relaxed for this project, but the cards should be original and handmade. Many members photograph or scan their cards before sending and have copies printed to use as their personal greeting cards for friends and family.

Blank multi-media cards and envelopes will be available at the Holiday Party for those who prefer to use them.
Participants are invited to send a photo or scan of the cards they send and receive to Denise Fisk to share later on this website.
For inspiration, following are links to some wonderful cards from previous years: 2022, 2021, 2020.

The Nature Artists’ Guild Begins Celebrating the Season

Published on November 25, 2023December 6, 2023 by DeniseLeave a comment

2023 Nature Artists’ Guild’s Holiday Party Invitation artwork, copyright Margie Navolio

It won’t be long until members of the Nature Artists’ Guild begin celebrating the season at their annual Holiday Party.

On Thursday evening, December 7, 2023, members are invited to share food, fun, and laughter with their fellow artists from 6 to 9 at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum.

Attendees can look forward to the lovely atmosphere of the Arbor Room decorated by volunteers, live music and appetizers in the historic Founder’s Room, a variety of food contributed by members, a raffle of art and nature items, and the delightful company of fellow artists.

Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild were emailed an invitation earlier this month with all the details.

Tickets for the raffle will be available at the party by cash or check only.
Blank greeting cards will also be available at the party for those who would like to use one for the Guild’s newest tradition, the annual Holiday Card Exchange.

A Peek at December for the Nature Artists’ Guild

Published on November 18, 2023November 19, 2023 by DeniseLeave a comment

The Nature Artists’ Guild has a busy December ahead, with a party, handmade cards, and the beginning of an exhibit. Here is a quick look –

Guild members are invited to attend the annual Holiday Party at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum on the evening of December 7, 2023. Members were recently emailed an invitation with all the details. (Reminder – tickets for the raffle will be available by cash or check only.) Volunteers are already hard at work making preparations for a lovely and enjoyable event!

December 7, 2023 will also be the last day for Nature Artists’ Guild members to register to participate in the fun and creative annual tradition of exchanging a handmade holiday card with a fellow artist. Details were emailed earlier this week, and members can complete this form to sign up. For those participants who would like to use them, blank white cards will be available, free of charge, at the Holiday Party. Here is a sample of the cards created for last year’s exchange.

December 11, 2023 will be the final date to register for the January 2024 Downers Grove Public Library exhibit. The artwork drop-off will be on December 16 and pick-up will be on February 3, 2024. Interested artists must join the Nature Artists’ Guild by December 11 or renew their membership by December 16, 2023 to participate. Artwork must have either been previously included in a Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit, or be approved by photo per instructions on the prospectus. Click here for general Guild exhibit guidelines. (Special exhibits may have further instructions outlined in the prospectus.) The exhibit prospectus will be emailed soon to all current members, and to new members after joining.

The Nature Artists’ Guild is currently accepting new and renewing memberships for 2024. To be sure to receive all the benefits of membership for the entire year, artists can join or renew by December 31, 2023.

Did you know? If you received this post by email, you can always click on Nature Artists’ Guild at the upper right corner of the email to visit the website, where you can scroll through former posts, use the menu to view member artwork, check the Important Dates page, or use the Search bar to look up a name or keyword.

Exhibit Artwork from the Nature Artists’ Guild

Published on November 13, 2023November 17, 2023 by Denise1 Comment

Sparrow, copyright Lisa Kanellos. Click on the image for more than 50 images from the recent exhibit at The Morton Arboretum.

A little bird told us that the 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum, featuring over 200 works of art by more than 60 members of the Guild, was a resounding success (with a little help from the beautiful autumn weather). The Nature Artists’ Guild would like to thank the exhibit coordinators, participating artists, volunteers, demonstrators, Arboretum employees, and visitors who helped to make it so.

Please click here or on the sparrow above to view more than 50 images, along with titles and artists’ names.

Many of these works will also be included in the Guild’s Downers Grove Public Library special exhibit throughout January 2024. More details to come soon.

Click on any image for the full version. Use arrows to scroll through images.