Author: Denise

Grand Garden Paint-Out on September 5, 2025

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
Grand Garden, The Morton Arboretum. Photo credit mortonarb.org.

There is a very special show at The Grand Garden of The Morton Arboretum in late summer and early autumn. Vibrant annuals and perennials are still the stars, but the warmer colors of autumn are beginning to make their debut.

To celebrate this display, the Nature Artists’ Guild has planned a paint-out at The Grand Garden on Friday, September 5, 2025, from 9:30 am until noon. Coordinator Celia Rodee will greet attendees with hot and iced coffee and her famous homemade baked goods to prepare the artists for a morning of enjoying the garden in all its glory.

Drop-ins are welcome, but registration is highly recommended (to receive email updates and details, and ensure there are enough treats to go around).

The Grand Garden paint-out also offers a perfect opportunity for Guild members to create or gather references for their contribution to this year’s small works exhibit, “Flora”!

An “Encore” Paint-Out on August 22, 2025

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
View of garden of Cynthia Hellyer Heinz and Earl Heinz

Encore! Encore! Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum will once again visit the garden of Cynthia Hellyer Heinz and Earl Heinz in Warrenville, IL, next Friday, August 22, 2025, for a paint-out and studio tour.

Paint-Outs Coordinator (and accomplished baker) Celia Rodee will meet participants at 10 am with coffee (hot or iced) and homemade baked goods at the private garden of artists Cynthia Hellyer Heinz and Earl Heinz. Cynthia is excited to report that the garden is in full bloom and ready for its repeat performance!

Cynthia is an artist and associate professor at the School of Art and Design at NIU, and Earl creates wonderful works in ceramics. Their colorful and whimsical garden near the DuPage River is a reflection of their creativity and artistic talents. To add to the experience, paint-out participants are invited to join Cynthia on an informal tour of her home studio!

Registration is required for this paint-out, and no rain date will be scheduled. Celia will email registered attendees with the paint-out address and other details. Previous paint-out participants, as well as new ones, are welcome to attend.

Wine and Art Walk Demonstrators Needed

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
From a recent demonstration in glazing by Dale Olsen. Dale will be demonstrating inside the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum from 10 to noon on Saturday, August 16.

The Morton Arboretum’s annual Wine and Art Walk will be held next weekend, and the Nature Artists’ Guild is looking for members to represent the Guild during the event.

“The Wine and Art Walk is a juried art show featuring photography, woodturning, jewelry, painting, ceramics, fused glass, fiber arts, and more artworks created by artists in the Midwest and beyond.” This year’s Wine and Art Walk will showcase the nature-connected work of 57 artists.

The Nature Artists’ Guild will have an information table inside the air-conditioned Arboretum’s Visitor Center (near the entrance of The Arboretum Store). Members volunteering to represent the Guild will have the opportunity to demonstrate, show their own work, and hand out business cards (no sales allowed) to the steady stream of visitors. Membership brochures and a sign directing visitors to the Nature Artists’ Guild’s website will help with answering questions about the Guild.

Volunteers can register here for a two-hour shift between 10 and 4 on Saturday, August 16, or Sunday, August 17, 2025, use this form to learn more, or email Terrie McComb with questions. Update – All Saturday shifts have been filled. Sunday shifts may still be available.

A Glimpse “Into the Wild”

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
Glare, copyright Shuli Wang, is one of more than 30 pieces being displayed at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center through August 30. Click on image for a sample of exhibit artwork.

From the savannas of Africa to the depths of their own gardens, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild have ventured “into the wild” for their contributions to the 2025 Summer Special Exhibit at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center.

Into the Wild is free and open to the public Wednesdays through Sundays until August 30, 2025. More than 30 pieces are showcased in Hidden Oaks’ wild and wonderful gallery space overlooking a woodland and adjacent to a rooftop meadow.

While exhibits are best enjoyed in person (the textures, colors, brushwork, sizes, and arrangements all contribute to the experience), it’s not always possible, so many of the participating artists have also shared images of their work for all to enjoy. Please click here or on the glaring lion above to enjoy a glimpse into the wild!

Making the Most of Summer with the Nature Artists’ Guild

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
White Petunia II, copyright Marge Hall, is included in the Into the Wild exhibit at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook, IL until August 30.

Despite what we see and hear on the screens and in the stores, we know that summer is far from over and there is plenty of the season left to enjoy. The Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum looks forward to making the most of it!

  • Works by more than 30 artists are showcased in the lovely cool and quiet gallery room overlooking the edge of a forest in Into the Wild, the summer exhibit by members of the Guild at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook, IL, until August 30, 2025. (Artwork images coming soon.)
  • Coffee and Art continues each Wednesday morning inside the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum. Artists can also head outdoors to gather reference material for their contribution to this autumn’s special exhibit, Flora! No registration is required for these friendly and informal gatherings.

Landscapes in Gouache with Sarah M Johnson on August 7, 2025

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
Utah in Fall, copyright Sarah M Johnson

The Nature Artists’ Guild is pleased to announce that their August program at The Morton Arboretum will feature artist Sarah M Johnson and her methods for creating striking landscapes in gouache.

Sarah M Johnson’s career in creating and teaching art includes the use of various media, but on Thursday evening, August 7, 2025, from 7 to 9, she will focus on the many uses of gouache.

Sarah will be demonstrating and explaining the tools and techniques for creating landscapes in two different types of gouache, describing the medium’s advantages for plein air and travel, and sharing examples of her own style, “realism with expressive and painterly elements.”

This program at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum will be free and open to the public. There will be no charge for parking or entrance into the Arboretum for the event, and visitors can let the gate attendant know they are there for the program to be admitted and directed to Thornhill. Plenty of seating and light refreshments will be available, and registration is not required.

All the Colors of Summer at the Gardens at Ball

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
Gardens at Ball photo credit Hoerr Schaudt. Click on image for more about the design of the gardens.

Pinks and purples, reds and yellows, greens and blues – all the colors of summer will be on display for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild at the August paint-out at the Gardens of Ball. Artists will want to bring their full palettes!

Each year, Ball Horticultural Company, one of the world’s leaders in “all facets of horticulture,” welcomes the Nature Artists’ Guild to its display gardens, the Gardens at Ball, to draw, paint, and photograph some of the thousands of plants showcased across its nine acres.

Participants will meet on August 8, 2025, at 9:30 am before spreading out to explore the beautifully landscaped gardens in their attempt to “capture the colors.”

Members of the Guild can register here or email Celia Rodee to receive more information about this event and be added to the list for email updates.

Gardens at Ball, photo credits Hoerr Schaudt

Summer Flora

Published on by DeniseLeave a comment
Wild Bergamot, copyright Lisa Kanellos

Summer is the perfect time for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild to gather reference material for or sketch or paint their contribution to “Flora,” this autumn’s small works exhibit.

Each year, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild create 8 x 8-inch works of art for a special display honoring The Morton Arboretum. The theme for 2025 is “Flora,” and virtually anything growing at the Arboretum can be considered for artistic interpretation.

From the prairie and lakes to the formal gardens and displays, summer at the Arboretum will be full of inspiration!

Instructions for participating can be found here, and this sample of artwork from last year’s display, “Trees,” may help provide motivation to begin.

‘Into the Wild’ Exhibit Opens at Hidden Oaks this Saturday, July 5, 2025

Published on by Denise1 Comment
Summer Shades, copyright Patty Koenigsaecker, is one of more than 30 works of nature art included in ‘Into the Wild’ at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center.

It’s time for a cool break! The Nature Artists’ Guild’s summer special exhibit, ‘Into the Wild,’ opens this Saturday, July 5, at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center of the Forest Preserve District of Will County.

Visitors will enjoy plenty of cool and quiet while surrounded by artwork celebrating the wonders of the natural world in the upstairs gallery space of the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook, IL. More than 30 members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are participating in this special exhibit, which will be open daily between 10 and 4 (except Mondays and Tuesdays) from July 5 until August 30, 2025.

Kids will love exploring the newly renovated center and be welcome to accompany their parents or grandparents into the gallery room to choose their favorite pieces! They can even sign up to win a poster or tote bag featuring Lindsay Sandbothe’s fabulous Scratch That artwork.

Images of exhibit artwork will be shared here and on the Forest Preserve District’s website and social media throughout the summer.