Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild would like to share some of the work that would have been (and might be in the future) exhibited at The Morton Arboretum as part of the guild’s annual Spring or Autumn (Holiday) Exhibit of Natural History Art.
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If the slide show does not show up on your device, please click on this link to the Nature Artists’ guild website. Click on any image to see a larger version and the title, artists’ name, and media used. The images are also available for scrolling through or viewing individually on the 2020 Exhibitof Natural History Art page under the Member Artwork tab of this website. Thank you to all participating members for sharing your artwork.
All artwork exhibited on this website is the sole property of the artist and should not be used or reproduced without their written consent. If you would like to contact one of the artists, please leave a comment on this website and you will receive an e-mail reply, normally within 48 hours. Your e-mail address will not be shared or used for any other purpose.
The annual Autumn (Holiday) Exhibit of Natural History Art by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum will be online-only in November 2020.
Study of Red Oak Trees, acrylic and soft pastel, copyright Laverne Bohlin
There is nothing like viewing artwork in person – the colors are somehow either more vivid or more subtle, the texture and brushstrokes are more obvious, and even the size of the work adds to the effect.
That being said, 2020 is a year for adapting. Online exhibits give viewers the chance to zoom in on details, study their favorites without a line forming behind them, and bypass weather, crowds, and parking. Any refreshments will be exactly to taste and can be enjoyed right along with the exhibit!
Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are asked to submit a few pieces of artwork that otherwise would have been exhibited in person this fall to include in the online exhibit on this website. These pieces can still be submitted for future in-person exhibits at The Morton Arboretum. Artwork should be submitted by November 14, 2020 according to instructions sent by e-mail to all guild members on November 7.
Nature Artists’ Guild members bought some new pens, tried some new techniques, and sometimes even followed the suggested prompts (kudos, Alice!) for a strong finish to Inktober®2020. Many of the artists included the autumn color of the area while honing their drawing skills and ensuring that the fleeting treasures of the season did not go unnoted. Here are the final contributions –
Hide (Leaves Behind Leaves), copyright Alice Wych
October Garden, copyright Marlene Vitek
Swallowtail Buddies, copyright Alice Wych
October ink art, copyright Arlene Widrevitz
October sketchbook pages, copyright Karen Johnson
Releasing a Brand New Monarch, copyright Carol Cooley
Staghorn Sumac, copyright Jane Kellenberger
October ink, copyright Arlene Widrevitz
Sketchbook with Fringed gentian, copyright Karen Johnson
Three Climbers, copyright Jane Kellenberger
Please click on any image to see the artist’s name and a larger version of the work and scroll down on the website to see previous weekly contributions. Thank you to all of the participants!
Inktober is a registered trademark of J.P. Creative, LLC. Used with permission.
It may be peak color in the Midwest, but it won’t last too long. Opportunities for capturing the colors of fall, the vivid blues of the sky and the stunning reds and yellows of the leaves, will be ending soon for this year.
Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are encouraged to go outside and bring back some of that color. It could happen in a plein-air painting, sketch, or drawing (including those done from inside a vehicle), or in a photograph and color-notes later translated into artwork in the studio. Those interested in sharing their creations can send an image to Jane Kellenberger before November 1 for the Quarterly (a members-only publication) or by November 5 to Denise Fisk for this website. Contact information can be found in the Nature Artists’ Guild Yearbook.
Chicagoland is home to numerous parks, forest preserves, as well as the spectacular Morton Arboretum, so inspiration should be plentiful!
Nature Artists’ Guild members are invited to continue sharing their ink creations! Images can be e-mailed to Denise Fisk, whose contact information will be found in the Nature Artists’ Guild Yearbook, by November 2, 2020. Please click on any image to for the artist’s name and a larger version.
Oak and Locust leaves, ink and colored pencil, copyright Marlene Vitek
Last of Summer geraniums, ink and colored pencil, copyright Marlene Vitek
Red leaves, ink and colored pencil, copyright Marlene Vitek
A number of Nature Artists’ Guild members are enrolled in Lara Call Gastinger’s class on nature journaling, and their contributions to Inktober®2020 are wonderfully reflecting the beauty of season.
Pages from nature journal, copyright Nancy Wu
Pages from nature journal, copyright Linn Eldred
Pages from nature journal, October, copyright Linn Eldred
Pages from nature journal, color, copyright Linn Eldred
Please click on any image to see a larger version and the artist’s name. Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are encouraged to share their ink images throughout the month of October.
Inktober is a registered trademark of J.P. Creative, LLC. Used with permission.
Some wonderful ink creations from members of the Nature Artists’ Guild –
Rodent, copyright Alice Wych
Ink drawing, copyright Nancy Wu
Pinecone sketch, copyright Denise Fisk
Hydrangea, copyright Karen Loyer
Butterfly Weed Seed Pod, copyright Alice Wych
Boneset Front Yard, copyright Karen Loyer
Sonoran Desert Toad – Bulky, copyright Jane Kellenberger
Autumn grasses sketch, copyright Denise Fisk
Please click on an image for the full version and the artist’s name. There is still more than half of a month left for Nature Artists’ Guild members to share their ink artwork on this website. Images can be sent to Denise Fisk, whose e-mail address can be found in the Nature Artists’ Guild Yearbook.
Creations for this website can be sketches, finished pieces, or even doodles, preferably inspired by nature. Daily ink practice, though, can be done on any subject and having a list or selection ready to choose from can remove one of the largest obstacles to getting started. You may decide to sketch one small item for fifteen minutes each day while having coffee. Adding watercolor or colored inks for one week might provide inspiration. Is there a crow quill pen and a bottle of ink ready to dust off and try working with again?
Drawing in ink is an excellent way to quickly improve drawing skills. There is no easy process for making corrections, so concentration and planning are essential, and mindfulness may come along naturally during the process. Each sketch or drawing, even when “unsuccessful”, will impart a valuable lesson for future efforts.
Sonoran Desert Toad – Bulky, copyright Jane Kellenberger
Maybe Bulky, the Sonoran Desert Toad, can inspire members of the Nature Artists’ Guild who aren’t already participating in Inktober®2020 to join in! One or two images per week can be shared by each member in future posts on this website. All the details for participating are in an e-mail sent to members last month.
Those who don’t wish to share their ink creations online can just show them to a friend, family member (not sure if pets are included), or hang them in the window for passers-by. Sketching, drawing, or even painting in ink and sharing the results is an excellent way to improve skills, learn new techniques, enjoy the creative process, and as in Bulky’s case, spread some smiles.
Inktober is a registered trademark of J.P. Creative, LLC. Used with permission.
The Nature Artists’ Guild is participating in Inktober®2020! The rules are simple, and joining in is even simpler.
Inktober is a registered trademark of J.P. Creative, LLC. Used with permission.
The Nature Artists’ Guild and The Morton Arboretum are offering some upcoming opportunities for learning to use ink in interesting and enjoyable ways –
Tomorrow, October 1, 2020, Lara Call Gastinger will be giving an online presentation about nature journaling to members. Her remarkable journal drawings in ink illustrate some of the versatility of the medium. Guild members received an e-mail on September 24 with instructions for participating.
Stippled Leaf, sketchbook, copyright Lara Gastinger. Used with permission.
Of course, Inktober®2020 would include the art of Sumi-e, a Japanese style of painting in black ink in which emphasis is placed on the beauty of each brush stroke.The Morton Arboretum will be offering a three-part online Sumi-e workshop, taught by Patricia Larkin Green beginning on October 8, 2020. This workshop is open to all, not just members of the Nature Artists’ Guild or The Morton Arboretum.
Patricia Larkin Green Sumi-e paintings and studio.
Please click on any of the above images or links for more information. All it really takes is a pen and some paper to begin, and images of ink creations by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will be shared on this website in the coming weeks.
Inktober is a registered trademark of J.P. Creative, LLC. Used with permission.
Copyright Lara Call Gastinger. Used with permission. Please click on image to visit laracallgastinger.com.
Lara Call Gastinger’s presentation for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild, Field Journaling, is only one week away! On Thursday, October 1, 2020 at 7 pm, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild can participate in this special online program. Details will be e-mailed to all members a few days before the program.
In this presentation Lara will be focusing on journaling in nature but it is well worth the time to visit Lara’s website and Instagram page to view not only her sketchbooks, but stunning finished works like the one pictured above.
Nature Artists' Guild 