Category: Events

An Opportunity for Local Nature Artists

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Friends of Danada will be accepting entries for the 2013 Danada Nature Art Show, at Danada House in Wheaton, Illinois, on Monday, October 7 and Tuesday, October 8, 2013 between 3 and 8 pm.  Entry forms may be picked up at the same time the artwork is delivered to Danada House.  The exhibit is open to all nature artists, with “all works featuring some aspect of our natural environment with no indication of human influence” in the categories of “Animals”, “Plants”, or “Scenery”.

The exhibit will be open to the public on Friday through Sunday, October 11, 12 and 13, 2013, during the annual Danada Fall Festival.   There will be an artists’ reception on Friday, October 11, 2013, and prizes will be awarded.   Please contact Friends of Danada at info@danadahouse.com for all the details. 

We Saved The Best for Last!

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The Nature Artists’ Guild has had some very special paint-outs this year.  From tropical Orchids by Hausermann’s in the winter, to some of the prettiest gardens in the area and the best weather you could ask for in the summer, this year has held some wonderful opportunities for our members.

There is one more paint-out planned for this year, and we have truly saved the best for last.  On October 8, please join us near Parking Lot P27 near Lake Marmo at, where else, The Morton Arboretum.  

Visitors  or “leaf-peepers” will be coming in from all over to see one of the best displays of Autumn color in the area.  Our group will be away from the crowds, tucked beneath the trees surrounding Lake Marmo, doing our best to portray the beautiful scene.

We will meet at 9 am and stay until about noon.  Interested members could also stay for lunch at the Ginkgo Restaurant & Café.  This paint-out is informal, so there is no need to RSVP, and please feel free to come any time between 9 and noon.  

Upcoming Nature Artists’ Guild Program at the Sterling Morton Library

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The October 3, 2013 meeting  of The Nature Artists’ Guild will take place at the Sterling Morton Library from 7 until 9 pm, where Library Collections Manager, Rita Hassert and Art Collections Assistant (and Nature Artists’ Guild member), Arlene Widrevitz will be donning their white cotton gloves to present us with a selection of artwork from the Sterling Morton Library’s rare print collection.

Tony Tyznik, Artist and Landscape Architect for The Morton Arboretum for over forty years, will also be joining us to speak about his experiences in creating his amazing pen and ink illustrations on the grounds of the arboretum.

Please click on the following links to find out more about the Sterling Morton Library’s rare print collection, to see a sample of Mr. Tyznik’s artwork, and to read more about Mr. Tyznik.

As always, guests and visitors are welcome, and the program and parking are free.  Please tell the gate attendant that you are there for the Nature Artists’ Guild Program, and they can direct you to the library.

Mr. Tony Tyznik at Nature Artists' Guild of The Morton Arboretum Program, October, 2013
Mr. Tony Tyznik at Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum Program, October, 2013. Photo credit Kathy Wagner

Update – The program was a resounding success.  We had a full house at Sterling Morton Library, and although Arlene and Rita did wonderful presentations, the “star of the show” was definitely Mr. Tony Tyznik.  He kept us captivated with his charming stories and generously allowed his drawing tools and artwork to be shared for close-up views.  A recurring theme in Mr. Tyznik’s narrative was his gratitude towards those mentors throughout his life, from his early teachers to Suzette Morton, who encouraged him in his artistic path.

Graue Mill Paint-Out Postponed Until Next Week

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From the website of Graue Mill and Museum,

One summer morning in 1852, Fred Graue entered his mill and turned the wheel that opened the sluice gates outside. Water from Salt Creek rushed into the millrace and the wooden waterwheel began to turn for the first time. It would turn the machinery that would grind grain for the next seventy years.

Today, Graue Mill is the only operating waterwheel gristmill in the Chicago area.

"Graue Mill", © Bill Schauert. Used with permission.
“Graue Mill”, © Bill Schauert. Used with permission.

Carol Jean Rogalski has secured a date for a Nature Artists’ Guild paint-out at this historic and lovely site, which is owned and maintained by the Forest Preserve District of Dupage County. Our paint-out is scheduled for the morning of Tuesday, September 17, 2013 from 9 am until 1 pm.  Please contact Carol Jean if you would like to attend.  You can find her contact information in your Yearbook.  The address for Graue Mill is 3800 York Road, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523.

We’d like to extend a special “thank you” to two members of the Morton Arboretum Photographic Society (MAPS), Bill Schauert and Bob Webster, for the wonderful photos.

"Fishing at Graue Mill", © Bill Schauert. Used with permission.
“Fishing at Graue Mill”, © Bill Schauert. Used with permission.
"Graue Mill", © Bob Webster. Used with permission.
“Graue Mill”, © Bob Webster. Used with permission.

“More Than a Pretty Picture”

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Nature Artists’ Guild member and Nature Art Education Manager at The Morton Arboretum, Suzanne Wegener, would like to invite us all to the following evening event, which features just about everything a nature artist could ask for!

Zone 5 Science Cafe’: More than a Pretty Picture

From white fringed orchids, to Hine’s emerald dragonflies, to Illinois chorus frogs—discover how scientific illustration can help preserve our flora and fauna. The illustrator is the eyes of the botanist and can illuminate what is unobservable.  Join Kathleen Garness, Freelance Artist and Suzanne Wegener, Nature Art Education Manager, The Morton Arboretum, in a lively conversation that will highlight botanical works of art, scientific illustrations and the role of art in conservation initiatives. Wine, appetizers and Arboretum admission included in the fee.

Thursday, September 19 from 7 – 8:30 p.m. Sterling Morton Library. Cost: $10 member, $12 nonmember.

To register for course Z401, click here: http://bit.ly/15nG1vp

Call: 630-719-2468

Email: Registrar-ed@mortonarb.org

Space is somewhat limited, so you may want to sign up soon!

Butterflies and Birds at Wildwood

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We’ve had some beautiful weather lately, and apparently we are not the only species enjoying it!  According to Nina Koziol, who will be hosting Nature Artists’ Guild paint-outs this Saturday and next Tuesday, she has spotted Giant Swallowtails, Pipevine Swallowtails, a few Monarchs, and Red-Spotted Purples, as well as Hummingbirds.

Red-Spotted Purple, Photo credit Wikipedia
Red-Spotted Purple, Photo credit Wikipedia

Nina is looking forward to hosting our paint-out, and will even be offering us some light refreshments!  She also wants to let us know that there is plenty of parking along the road across the street from her home and gardens.   Scroll down this page to see more information and some photographs of Wildwood.

If you would like to attend, please contact Carol Jean Rogalski, whose contact information you will find in your Yearbook.  

Wildwood Awaits! New Paint-Out Opportunity on August 17 and August 20, 2013

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You may know Nina Koziol as a garden writer for the Chicago Tribune and Chicagoland Gardening, as well as a speaker and teacher at the Chicago Botanic Garden and The Morton Arboretum.

Nina Koziol's Wildwood Garden, Used with permission
Nina Koziol’s Wildwood Garden, Used with permission

Now we will be lucky enough to experience Nina’s gardening skills in person, as she has so generously offered to open her personal garden, Wildwood, (also the name of the gallery in Lockport, IL owned by Nina and her husband, http://www.WildwoodGallery.com) on two separate mornings to members of the Nature Artists’ Guild for painting, sketching and photographing!

Nina Koziol's Wildwood Garden, Used with permission
Nina Koziol’s Wildwood Garden, Used with permission

Nina’s gardens take inspiration from her grandparents’ garden in Essex, England, and include flower and shrub borders, edible and container gardens, and judging from the photos on Nina’s website, www.thisgardencooks.com, some fascinating creatures as well!  Not all of them will be present for our paint-out, but Nina promises there will be “hummingbirds and butterflies galore”!

Nina Koziol's Wildwood Garden, Used with permission
Nina Koziol’s Wildwood Garden, Used with permission

Our members are invited to share Nina’s garden on either Saturday, August 17 or Tuesday, August 20, 2013, from 9 am until 1 pm.  The address is 11925 Ford Road, Palos Park, IL, and Nina has even been kind enough to offer light refreshments!

Please let Carol Jean Rogalski know on which of the two dates you’d like to attend (or both, if space permits, but please indicate your first choice).  You can find Carol Jean’s contact information in your Yearbook.

Artist Trio Presentation, August 1, 2013

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On August 1, 2013, from 7 pm until 9 pm at Thornhill, three members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will share their inspirations and techniques with us.

Attendees will divide into three smaller groups, which will rotate through the three presentations. This gives us all a great opportunity to get closer looks, ask more questions, and engage with the artists in a way not possible with a larger group. The three talented artists who will be generously sharing their talents with us are –

Jane Doherty – Western Marbling

Karen Johnson – Polymer Clay Patterns: Botanicals and Insects

Ed Cook – Landscapes

Please join us for what promises to be a fun, inspirational and educational meeting! Guests and visitors are welcome.  Visitors,  please just let the attendant at The Morton Arboretum gate know that you are there for the Nature Artists’ Guild meeting.