Category: Events

Final Week for ‘Rooted in Observation: Art Inspired by the Living World’

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Click on image for museum location and hours.

More than 75 works of nature art by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum will be available for viewing at the Bloomingdale Park District Museum through this Saturday, September 12, 2026.

The museum will be open to the public for the final days of Rooted in Observation: Art Inspired by the Living World, on Wednesday, September 9, from 3 to 7, Thursday, September 10, from 12 to 4, and Saturday, September 12, from 12 to 4.

Celebrated artist Cynthia Hellyer Heinz will be demonstrating her color pencil techniques on Saturday at the museum, and everyone attending Bloomingdale Septemberfest is welcome to stop by! (Parking may not be available at the museum during this event on Saturday.)

Reminder: Participating artists must pick up their artwork at the museum on Sunday, September 13, between 12 and 2.

Spectacular Color Coming Soon!

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Where the Garden Leads, copyright Lora Lee Gelles, was included in last year’s Autumn Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum. Click on image for more.

Recent cool evenings are beginning to hint at the coming wonders of autumn, especially the spectacular displays of color. Nature Artists’ Guild exhibits, paint-outs, a program, and a workshop (as well as a selection of classes offered by The Morton Arboretum) will help with exploring and celebrating these wonders.

  • In just a few weeks, prospectuses for the 2026 Autumn Exhibit at the Morton Arboretum and Fauna, the display of 8 x 8 works honoring the Arboretum, will be emailed to members. (New members who join the Guild before the prospectus due date will be eligible to participate in these exhibits.)
  • The Nature Artists’ Guild will sponsor a program by oil pastel artist George Shipperly on the evening of Thursday, October 1, at The Morton Arboretum. This presentation will be free and open to the public, and no registration will be required. More details coming soon.
  • A return of the free workshop for Guild members, Wood Slice Ornaments with Lindsay Sandbothe, will be held on October 10. Registration is required, and only a few spots remain for this popular event.
  • And for those who just want to drop by to enjoy the wonderful sights and sounds of The Morton Arboretum on a weekday morning without the crowds, the Guild’s Coffee and Art gatherings continue each Wednesday, beginning at about 9:30 in the Visitor Center.

All Artists Invited to the Grand Garden Paint-Out on September 17, 2026

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Monarch Landing, copyright Alice Wych

Artists from all around are invited to attend the Nature Artists’ Guild’s late-summer paint-out at the Gerard T. Donnelly Grand Garden at The Morton Arboretum on the morning of September 17, 2026.

Most paint-outs hosted by the Nature Artists’ Guild are limited to members and guests, but at this end-of-summer event, artists from, or visiting, the Chicagoland area are invited to paint or sketch along with Guild members. (Arboretum membership or a gate fee will be required for entry to the Arboretum).

Attendees will meet at the entrance to the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum at 9:30 am on Thursday, September 17, for coffee and delicious pastries before beginning their stroll through the nearby Celebration Garden, Joy of Plants Garden, and Centennial Plaza to find their inspiration.

Some seating is available within the gardens, but artists may also bring portable chairs, and restroom facilities are nearby in the Visitor Center and the Administration Building. Although drop-in artists are welcome, registration is strongly recommended so that enough pastries can be planned and weather-related updates and other details can be shared.

Guild members could use this opportunity to find their subject for this autumn’s Fauna project, a display of small works inspired by the creatures of The Morton Arboretum. (Migrating monarchs will surely stop by!)

Note: Paint-out was originally planned for September 3, but was rescheduled because of weather.

The Bloomingdale Museum will be Hopping this Sunday!

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Tree Frog, copyright Dan Danielson

Award-winning artist (and Nature Artist Guild member), Dan Danielson, will be demonstrating his fun and fluid style of watercolor painting at the reception for the Guild’s exhibit, open to all on August 16, 2026, from 2 to 4, at the Bloomingdale Park District Museum.

The free reception for Rooted in Observation: Art Inspired by the Living World, at the museum on Sunday, August 16, will be open to the public from 2 to 4 pm. Refreshments and music provided by the museum, a demonstration by Dan Danielson, and the opportunity to view more than 75 works of art by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum, will all contribute to a wonderful afternoon!

The exhibit will continue until September 12, and visitors can visit the museum’s website for hours and directions.

Also —

  • Guild artists will also be demonstrating inside the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum during the Arboretum’s 2026 Wine and Art Walk. Everyone is invited to stop by and learn more about the Guild or simply chat with an artist and watch them create between 10 and 4 on Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and 16. (Arboretum membership or a gate fee will be required for entrance to the Arboretum.)

Cynthia Hellyer Heinz at The Morton Arboretum on August 6, 2026

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BioMorphia 2, copyright Cynthia Hellyer Heinz

The Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum is excited to sponsor a presentation by a master of drawing and illustration, Cynthia Hellyer Heinz on August 6, 2026.

After earning a Master of Fine Arts at Northern Illinois University, Cynthia Hellyer Heinz began her long career at the university teaching and mentoring students in drawing and design.

Cynthia will share some of her insights and skills in her presentation, The Poetry of the Crone in the Woods, at The Morton Arboretum on the evening of Thursday, August 6, 2026 from 7 until 9.

The use of color pencils is the primary tool which lends itself to details and the exploration of nuance in color and light. There is a narrative on the surface of the paper as it erupts into the images. Stories unfold and are shared by the exercise of drawing. I look forward to sharing the how, what, and why of my work as an artist, story teller and teacher.

– Cynthia Hellyer Heinz

This program will be open to the public with no charge for attendance, admission to the Arboretum, or parking. Registration is not required, and visitors can let the gate attendant know they are there for the program to be directed to the Thornhill Education Center.

A door prize, delicious light refreshments, and plenty of seating will add to the enjoyment of the evening!

A few reminders for members —

The Gardens at Ball, August 4, 2026

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The Gardens at Ball, photo credit Hoerr Schaudt

It’s time for the Nature Artists’ Guild’s annual trip to the display gardens of one of the world’s most renowned growers, Ball Horticultural!

Guild members are invited to attend one of the year’s most anticipated paint-outs at The Gardens at Ball on the morning of Tuesday, August 4, 2026, from 9:30 until noon.

“What began as a row trial garden for seed varieties in 1933 has grown to encompass over 15 acres of display gardens for annuals, perennials, cut flowers and vegetables, including the newest plants from the industry’s leading breeders and marketers.”

The gardens are guaranteed to offer a glorious variety of color and form for Guild artists to capture in their sketches, paintings, or photographs. Space is limited for this opportunity, and registration is required. Coordinator Celia Rodee will contact participants with details, directions, and updates.

A few reminders —

  • The final day to register for the summer special exhibit at the Bloomingdale Park District Museum is tomorrow, July 27. Members were emailed the prospectus and registration link earlier this week.
  • The last day to submit announcements, images, and articles for the Autumn Quarterly is this Saturday, August 1. Instructions were recently emailed to Guild members.
  • The Nature Artists’ Guild will sponsor a program featuring Cynthia Hellyer Heinz on the evening of Thursday, August 6, at The Morton Arboretum. This presentation will be free and open to all, and no registration is required. Details coming soon.

Indoors and Out this July

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Clockwise: 2025 Quarterly covers, details of artwork by Ann Lamoureux, Linda Hilderbrant, Ann Lamoureux, and Jeffrey Zawada.

Nature Artists’ Guild members have lots to do this July, both indoors and out —

  • When the weather is a little less comfortable, members can spend a few cool hours indoors looking through their artwork or writing a poem or essay to contribute to the Guild’s Autumn 2026 Quarterly. Artwork images and articles can be submitted by August 1, as outlined in the July 18 email sent to members.
  • Also beginning indoors, cool and comfortable, are the casual weekly gatherings of Guild members and visitors, Coffee and Art, at the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum. All are welcome to stop by any Wednesday morning beginning about 9:30, and possibly move outdoors if the weather is nice. (An Arboretum membership or gate fee will be necessary to enter the Arboretum.)
  • And finally, it’s back outdoors, on another lovely day of the artists’ choosing, to find a subject to depict in their contribution to the Guild’s 8×8 small works display, Fauna, this autumn at The Morton Arboretum.

Cool, Cool Shade at the Lamoureux Garden

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Hosta, copyright Ann Lamoureux

The garden of Ann Lamoureux in Wheaton, IL will provide artists with bountiful blooms, but the top attraction this summer just might be the cool, cool shade of the towering trees.

The Lamoureux garden is full of annuals, perennials, mature trees, and nearly everything that an artist could desire for inspiration. Ann has generously offered to share her lovely garden and porch with fellow members of the Nature Artists’ Guild for a paint-out on Thursday, July 23, 2026, beginning at 9:30 am.

As always, delicious pastries and coffee will be served, and there will be plenty of room for artists to set up for a lovely morning of painting, sketching, or photographing. Registration is required, and coordinator Celia Rodee will email attendees with the address, details, and updates.

Woods Garden and Peter’s Pond, copyright Ann Lamoureux

Wonders of Summer with the Nature Artists’ Guild

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Blue Heron and Koi, copyright Carole Stone Carson

July brings a multitude of wonders for artistic inspiration, and Nature Artists’ Guild members and The Morton Arboretum are generously providing opportunities to enjoy many of them.

On the morning of Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 9:30, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will meet at fellow artist Mary Ann Thompson’s home to paint and sketch the beauty of her garden. Mary Ann’s garden is filled with wonders, including a large koi pond and swaths of floral color. Coffee and delicious pastries will be provided, and registration is required.

Two weeks later, on Thursday, July 23, another Guild member, Ann Lamoureux, will open her garden to fellow artists. The wonders of Ann’s garden include numerous large trees shading and cooling the surrounding flora, as well as the artists painting it. More about this paint-out coming soon, and registration is required.

Nature Artists’ Guild members and guests can sketch birds, butterflies, and bees at The Morton Arboretum each Wednesday morning, about 9:30, at a Coffee and Art gathering at the Visitor Center. These cool mornings, before the crowds, would be perfect opportunities for members to work on their contributions to this autumn’s small works display, “Fauna,” or to just enjoy the company of fellow artists. (An Arboretum membership or gate fee will be necessary for entry.)

Nature Artists’ Guild’s Summer Paint-Outs Continue

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Thompson garden. Photo credit Mary Ann Thompson.

The next paint-out in this summer’s Nature Artists’ Guild series will feature the garden of Guild member Mary Ann Thompson in Wheaton, IL.

It is obvious from the start that Mary Ann’s exquisite garden was carefully planned by an artist using the elements of design – color, line, shape, texture, space, form and value. Those elements, along with the stunning focal point, a large koi pond, ensure that paint-out attendees will have an abundance of subject matter for their sketches, paintings, and photographs.

Mary Ann and coordinator Celia Rodee will welcome participants at 9:30 on the morning of Thursday, July 9, 2026, with coffee and delicious pastries. Interested Guild members can register here, or by contacting Celia by email, to receive the address and all the details and updates.