Artist Phil Schorn, this Thursday, October 2, 2025, at The Morton Arboretum
Category: Events
Autumn Color Coming Soon!
The colors of autumn are slowly arriving in Chicagoland, and the Nature Artists’ Guild will be there to welcome them with paints, pencils, paper, and canvas.
Coming in October –
- On October 1, the Nature Artists’ Guild will begin accepting renewals and new memberships for 2026.
- Members and guests of the Guild are invited to attend the final paint-out of 2025, at the gardens of Cantigny Park, on October 1. Admission and parking are free, but registration is recommended.
- Artist Phil Schorn will give a presentation about color pencil at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum. This program will be open to all, free of charge, on October 2, from 7 to 9 pm.
- Members participating in the 2025 Autumn Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum will need to register online or by mail by October 11. Much more about the exhibit and Featured Artist Kathy Steere to come in the next few weeks. Postcards and posters will be available for members to pick up at the October 2 meeting to share with friends, family, and local businesses.
- October 11 will also be the final day for members to register for “Flora,” the 2025 special exhibit of small works honoring the Arboretum.
- Nature Artists’ Guild members and visitors will continue to meet each Wednesday morning at the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum to enjoy the company of fellow artists, as well as the stunning views surrounding them.
Preparations Underway for the Autumn 2025 Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum
The prospectus has been sent, posters are being printed, artwork is being finished and framed, and much more, as preparations continue for the Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2025 Autumn Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum.
The annual autumn exhibit will be held in the Cudahy Room and reception area of the Administration Building, adjacent to the Sterling Morton Library, from Friday, November 7, through Sunday, November 9, 2025, between the hours of 10 and 4. There will be no charge for admission to the exhibit (although normal gate fees for the Arboretum will apply, except during the reception on Friday evening from 4:30 until 7, also open to all).
The Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit will include more than 200 works of art by approximately 50 members, including many by this autumn’s Featured Artist, Kathy Steere (much more to come soon about Kathy and her art). In addition to the artwork, visitors can enjoy artist demonstrations and purchase handmade ornaments, greeting cards featuring members’ artwork, or raffle tickets for spectacular themed gift baskets. Friday evening’s reception will also include free light refreshments.
The Autumn Exhibit will also include a special display of numerous small works (8 x 8 inch) created by members of the Guild to honor The Morton Arboretum. This year’s theme for that display will be “Flora,” with contributions inspired by the vast collections found there.
Participating artists can register or view the prospectuses here –
Extraordinary Color Pencil by Phil Schorn, October 2, 2025
The Nature Artists’ Guild is pleased to welcome artist Phil Schorn to the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum for a presentation on the evening of October 2, 2025.
Phil Schorn’s award-winning work has been featured in numerous publications, including Colored Pencil Magazine, as well as in group and solo exhibits. He also shares his talents through demonstrations, workshops, outdoor art fairs, classes, and private lessons.
With the color pencil, I have the ability to create the shape, color and detail that I envision in my art. Color pencil is where I find the most comfort in, where the color and detail truly stands out. My art is realistic but done with an artistic approach. I want the viewer to see more than what they thought was there.
I take what is considered ordinary and make it extraordinary.
–Phil Schorn
The presentation, sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum, will be held at the Arboretum’s Thornhill Education Center on Thursday, October 2, 2025, from 7 until 9 pm. The program is open to all, free of charge, and no registration is required. There will be no charge for parking or admission to the Arboretum for this event. Visitors can let the gate attendant know they are there for the presentation to be admitted and directed to Thornhill.
Plenty of seating and delicious light refreshments will be provided.
Catching the Golden Autumn Light, October 1, 2025
The last paint-out of the year for the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum will take place at the gardens of Cantigny Park on October 1, 2025, from 9:30 until noon.
Attendees will be able to make the most of autumn’s brilliant blue skies and warm colors, while enjoying coffee and a tasty homemade pastry provided by coordinator Celia Rodee, at the lovely and vast gardens of Cantigny Park.
“Located in Wheaton, Illinois, Cantigny Park is the 500-acre former estate of Colonel Robert R. McCormick, the longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune.” Included in the park are the gardens, “created in 1967 by renowned landscape architect Franz Lipp. Nearly 30 acres of display gardens, theme plantings and statuary render exceptional beauty in all seasons.” – Cantigny.org
There will be no charge for entering Cantigny or for parking at this event. Drop-ins, guests, and visitors are welcome to join the paint-out, but registration is strongly recommended (to make sure there are enough delicious delectables to go around). It’s a great opportunity to enjoy the autumn air and time with fellow nature artists!
Grand Garden Paint-Out on September 5, 2025
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
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
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.
Making the Most of Summer with the Nature Artists’ Guild
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.)
- The Guild’s August program will feature talented artist Sarah M Johnson, who will share her insights and methods for painting landscapes in gouache. This event is open to the public, free of charge, on the evening of August 7, 2025, and registration is not required.
- Spots at the popular annual paint-out at the Gardens of Ball are filling quickly! Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will meet at Ball Horticultural’s spectacular display gardens on the morning of August 8, 2025. Registration is required.
- The Nature Artists’ Guild will have an information table and artist demonstrations inside the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum throughout the Wine and Art Walk on the weekend of August 16 and 17, 2025. Guild members interested in volunteering can learn more here.
- 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
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.
Nature Artists' Guild 
