Category: Classes and Workshops

Farewell to 2023 from the Nature Artists’ Guild

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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

“An Ineffable Response to Overwhelming Beauty” – Bryce Lafferty on October 5, 2023

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Green Kingdom, copyright Bryce Lafferty

My watercolor drawings emerge as poetic expressions of my wonderment for the natural world. They provide a surreal, emotional, and ineffable response to overwhelming beauty.

Bryce Lafferty

Bryce Lafferty leads the Department of Art and Design at Jacksonville State University in Alabama, where he teaches drawing and painting. Originally from the Northeast, Bryce is now also “enamored by the abundant variety of living things and geologic features to be discovered in the Southeast.” His widely collected and exhibited watercolors are inspired by his “wonderment for” the natural beauty he has encountered across the country.

The Nature Artists’ Guild is honored to welcome Bryce to speak about his art and experiences on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 7 pm in the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum.

This program is open to the public, with no charge for parking, attendance, or admission to the Arboretum. Visitors can let the attendant at the gate of The Morton Arboretum know they are there for the presentation to be admitted and directed to Thornhill. Tickets are not required and light refreshments and plenty of seating will be available.

Bryce is also teaching a Visiting Artist Workshop co-sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild at The Morton Arboretum beginning October 6. Guild members can claim an additional discount by registering by phone.

Bryce Lafferty sketching at Lake Ellen Wilson, Glacier National Park

Some reminders about the October 5 meeting for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild –

  • Artwork submissions for the Joy’s Vision special display will be accepted at the meeting, as well as at the Autumn Nature Art Exhibit’s drop-off event on November 8. Artwork for this display does not require matting, framing, preregistration, or an exhibit fee, but must be 8 x 8 inches and properly labeled on the back.
  • Completed prospectuses and fee payments for the Autumn Nature Art Exhibit will be accepted at the meeting (as well as by mail or online by October 7). In-person payments at the meeting must be by cash or check.
  • Posters and postcards for the Autumn Nature Art Exhibit will be available for members to take and share with friends and local businesses.
  • Voluntary contributions for the Autumn Nature Art Exhibit raffle baskets can be dropped off. A list of suggested items was previously emailed to members.

Visiting Artist Bryce Lafferty in October 2023

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Eastern Forest, watercolor, copyright Bryce Lafferty

The Nature Artists’ Guild and The Morton Arboretum are excited to co-sponsor the upcoming three-day Visiting Artist Workshop: Conceptual Landscapes in Watercolor with accomplished artist and educator Bryce Lafferty beginning on October 6, 2023.

My watercolor drawings emerge as poetic expressions of my wonderment for the natural world. They provide a surreal, emotional, and ineffable response to overwhelming beauty.

Bryce Lafferty

Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will be able to obtain an additional discount for the workshop fee by registering by phone to confirm their Guild membership.

Bryce will also be sharing some of his methods and inspirations at a presentation at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum on Thursday, October 5 at 7 pm. This program, sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild, will be open to all, completely free of charge. Visitors can let the gate attendant at the Arboretum know they are there for the program to be admitted and directed to Thornhill. Light refreshments will be available.

A few reminders for members-

  • Links to the prospectus and an online registration form for the 2023 Autumn Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum were recently emailed to all current Nature Artists’ Guild members. Members who did not receive the email should contact Membership Chair Jane Kellenberger.

This Autumn for the Nature Artists’ Guild

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Zion II – Virgin River, copyright Joe Rizzo

For the Nature Artists’ Guild, the unofficial beginning of autumn will be this week, when the prospectus for November’s Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum is emailed to all members.

The Guild is pleased to announce that the Featured Artist for the 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit will be Joe Rizzo (much more about Joe and his work to come soon). The exhibit will include more than 200 works of nature art by approximately 50 members of the Nature Artists’ Guild. The exhibit postcard and posters, as well as many more details, will be coming soon.

Also coming this autumn –

  • A paint-out at the gardens at Cantigny is scheduled for Wednesday, September 6, beginning at 9:30 am. The gardens will still be blooming and beautiful for this event. All members are welcome to stop by any time that morning, but by registering here, they can be added to an email list for details and updates. There will be no charge for admission or parking for the paint-out.
  • A paint-out at Lake Marmo at The Morton Arboretum has been tentatively planned for October 4 at 9:30 am. Lake Marmo and its surroundings will be displaying the colors of fall and attendees might find inspiration to participate in the Joy’s Vision special display. A registration form for the paint-out and more details to come soon.
  • The Visiting Artist Workshop: Conceptual Landscapes in Watercolor with Bryce Lafferty on October 6, 7, and 8, 2023 at The Morton Arboretum is being co-sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild. (Guild members can receive an additional discount by registering by phone and confirming their membership.) Bryce will also be doing a presentation, free and open to all, on October 5, 2023 from 7 to 9 pm at the Arboretum’s Thornhill Education Center. More details to come soon.
  • Wednesday morning gatherings, Art and Coffee, will continue each week throughout autumn (except for the days with paint-outs scheduled). Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild and their guests are welcome to stop by the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum between 9 and 11 am to chat, sketch, or enjoy a quiet morning in beautiful surroundings.

Summer Nature Art Classes at The Morton Arboretum

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Peace on the Prairie, copyright Margaret Navolio. Exhibited at last autumn’s Schulenberg Prairie 60th Anniversary Exhibit.

The Morton Arboretum is offering a number of nature art classes to members of the Nature Artists’ Guild (and all interested artists) this summer.

Some highlights –

Art in Plein Air: The Prairie Large and Small with John Fleck will take place on six mornings in July and August at the Arboretum’s historic Schulenberg Prairie, a “sea of color in the summer months, with native grasses and flowers in full bloom.”

For botanical artists (or artists at any skill level) who would like to try a very different approach, the Art Workshop: Andy Warhol’s Flowers on the evening of July 26 could be a fun adventure. Rachel Davis will lead artists in using “a hot summer palette of pinks, yellows, and lime greens to create a Warhol-inspired graphical painting of flowers.”

Many Nature Artists’ Guild members will remember last summer’s wonderful workshop and program on painting landscapes in pastel with Laverne Bohlin. Laverne will be returning this August 4 and 5 to teach a Visiting Artist Workshop: Painting Expressive Flowers in Pastel.

To learn more or register for one of the above classes or workshops, open to all, please click on the highlighted link. Click here to see the full list of summer and early autumn classes at The Morton Arboretum.

Coming Soon for the Nature Artists’ Guild

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Poster art by Patricia Mroczka, poster design by Jane Kellenberger, daffodil sketch at Coffee and Art by Celia Rodee, “Daffodils” in colored pencil by Alice Wych, frame display by Colbert Custom Framing

Some reminders for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild –

  • Monday, March 20, 2023 is the final day to mail completed prospectuses or register online for this April’s Spring Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum. Links for the prospectus and online registration form were emailed to members on February 20.
  • There are still spots available for the talk and tour at Colbert Custom Framing on Tuesday evening, March 21, 2023. Interested members can register here.
  • A paint-out at the Daffodil Glade at The Morton Arboretum is scheduled for the morning of Thursday, April 13, 2023. This would be a great opportunity to complete sketches or gather reference material for the Joy’s Vision exhibit of 8 x 8 inch works scheduled this autumn. Members who would like to be put on the email list for updates about the paint-out can click here.
  • Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild and their guests are always welcome to stop by the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum for Coffee and Art any Wednesday morning after 9 am to sketch, sip, or chat. No registration is required.

Preserving and Presenting Artwork Workshop on March 21, 2023

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Photo credit Colbertcustomframing.com

On Tuesday, March 21, 2023, from 6:30 until 8 pm, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will have the opportunity to learn about preserving their artwork and presenting it in ways that will enhance, and never detract from, the viewer’s experience.

Colbert Custom Framing & Art Printing has more than thirty years of experience in matting, framing, and preserving fine art. Third generation owner Stephanie Colbert Randall has offered to share professional knowledge about preparing and presenting artwork and a tour of their production and warehouse areas at their facility (click here for a short video) in Naperville, Illinois.

Interested members should contact Terrie McComb by email or by clicking here to complete a registration form before March 19 to reserve a seat. Space is limited and recent Nature Artists’ Guild events have been filling quickly!

Reminders –

  • Registrations are being accepted by for the Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2023 Spring Art Exhibit through March 20, 2023. Links to the prospectus and an online registration form were emailed to members on February 20.
  • The Nature Artists’ Guild will be sponsoring a presentation by watercolorist Thomas Trausch next Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 7 pm at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum. This event will be open to the public, free of charge.
  • All spots have been filled for the paint-out at Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum on March 9, 2023 but a wait-list is available.
  • Coffee and Art gatherings take place each Wednesday morning between 9 and 12 at the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum. Guild members and guests are welcome to stop by to sketch, chat, or sip!

A Gift for the Nature Artist on your List

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Fringed Gentian, Gentianopsis crinita, copyright Heeyoung Kim

The Nature Artists’ Guild is proud to co-sponsor an upcoming workshop with The Morton Arboretum by renowned botanical artist Heeyoung Kim. The workshop is open to all, but members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will receive a 10 percent discount by enrolling by phone and confirming their membership. (If enrollment in the workshop is being given as a gift, the discount is available if the attendee is a current member of the Nature Artists’ Guild.)

Botanical Watercolor: A Strategic Approach and Fundamental Techniques is for intermediate and advanced artists with some experience using watercolor and will take place in person at The Morton Arboretum in March 2023.

The Subtle Beauty of Winter Returns

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Great Solomon’s Seal, copyright Lynne Railsback

The subtle tones of winter return as the Nature Artists’ Guild prepares for 2023. After celebrating the many moods of the prairie last autumn, members of the guild can now look forward to studying the nuances of local and exotic plants in various phases during the upcoming months.

  • January 2023 will include a paint-in at The Morton Arboretum’s Herbarium, which contains within its more than 200,000 specimens the world’s most complete collection of dried plants from the Chicago region.
  • Wednesday morning Art and Coffee gatherings will return in January with various plants or greenhouse flowers for sketching while sipping.
  • In early February, Lynne Railsback will return with an online program, sharing her stunningly intricate artwork and thoughts about spontaneity and the use of a limited palette.
  • The palette will become more colorful in February at the Nature Artists’ Guild’s annual “trip to the tropics” at Orchids by Hausermann, one of the Midwest’s largest orchid growers.
  • The Guild is honored to co-sponsor a workshop by renowned botanical artist Heeyoung Kim at The Morton Arboretum in March. Guild members will have the opportunity to enroll in the workshop at a discounted fee.

Dates, times, and other details for these and other upcoming events will be shared with members by email and on this website as they become available.

Click here to join or renew for 2023

Celebrating the Season on December 1, 2022

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Invitation artwork copyright Mary Ann Jimenez

On Thursday evening, December 1, 2022, at 6 pm, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild and a guest are invited to the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum to celebrate the season and a year full of art, nature, and friendship.

Members can check their invitation, emailed on November 6, for all the details.

Also coming up –

  • The popular holiday card exchange tradition returns for 2022. Blank cards will be available to pick up at the holiday party on December 1, but members can contact Celia Rodee any time to sign up for the exchange. An email with the details was sent on November 15.
  • For those needing a little guidance with their cards, Carrie Carlson is teaching an online workshop on creating holiday cards in watercolor on December 8 at The Morton Arboretum.
  • The annual Downers Grove Library exhibit of work by the Nature Artists’ Guild will be held throughout January, 2023. Guild members were emailed the details and a link to the prospectus on November 19 (updated November 21.)