Category: Events

Invite your Friends and Family!

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Please take a moment to invite your friends and family to the 2010 Holiday Exhibit of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum, November 12th through 14th.  All the artists, as well as the coordinators of the show, have worked hard to ensure that this exhibition continues to meet the high standards everyone has come to expect from our group.  We always have excellent attendance, but with the record number of artists exhibiting this time, we’d also love to have a record turnout!

The below link, which you can copy and paste onto an e-mail, leads directly to the article about the show or you can click on one of the “Share” buttons at the end of that article and follow the instructions that appear.

https://natureartistsguild.wordpress.com/2010/10/15/2010-annual-holiday-exhibition/

Just enough rain to make the colors sing

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The rain kept the usual Autumn Arboretum crowds away, but a handful of dedicated artists braved the weather Saturday morning and for their effort were warmly welcomed by Librarian Michael Stieber and the gorgeous views outside the library windows.

 The library is so fascinating, both in design and content, that it was tempting to just spend the morning browsing the collections (see link to the lower right to access the Sterling Morton Library blog).   However, each and every window framed a wonderful scene just calling out to be captured, and the gentle rain was just enough to saturate the colors and make them “sing”. 

 After some Whole Foods muffins for energy, the artists got busy, and the results were some beautiful works in watercolor, pastel and colored pencil.

(If you were there, we’d love to add your artwork to this post!)

2010 Holiday Exhibition Coming Soon!

Published on by MaryLeave a comment

The Guild’s 2010 Holiday Exhibition is only a month away! The Artists’ Reception – open to Guild and Arboretum members and their guests – is Friday, November 12 from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm. The Exhibition is open to the public November 13-14, from noon to 5:00 p.m.

Over fifty Guild members have submitted 175 pieces of artwork, making this one of our larger exhibitions.

Throughout the weekend, Guild members will be demonstrating various media and techniques, including watercolor, colored pencil, and carbon dust.

The Artisan Shop will be selling artist-made art and craft items, including holiday decorations and ornaments. We also will sell raffle tickets for three Winsor Newton portable watercolor sets, a Gamblin oil paint set,  a Golden $50 gift certificate, and a framed digital nature print. Also available for purchase will be the Guild’s 2011 Calendar, featuring the work of Guild artists. All proceeds go to support Guild programs and activities.

Admission to the show is free; however, non-Arboretum members must still pay admission to the Arboretum.

Morton Fall Color Paint-Out, Saturday, October 23 at 9 am

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When you think of Autumn, you think of colorful leaves, and when you think of colorful leaves, what better place to find them than at The Morton Arboretum?    What a great opportunity for gaining inspiration and material for your autumn landscapes or just for being outdoors on what we assume will be a gorgeous autumn day!  Try a new medium or even loosen up a little – it’s all about the color at this time of the year! 

We will be meeting at the Thornhill parking lot at 9 am on Saturday, October 23,  and can choose our painting and sketching locations away from (or if you’re feeling bold, right in the midst of) the crowds.  We are extending an invitation to other art leagues and guests to join us at this paint-out (although non-Arboretum members will still have to pay the gate fee), so bring a friend, and it may also be a good opportunity to meet some new people and see what kinds of creative things they’re up to!

No need to RSVP – there’s room for everyone.  Paint-out date is rain or shine.  (If it’s raining, we’ll meet in the library). Bring your own thermos of coffee or tea, and we’ll supply the muffins.

Thoroughly Enjoyable Evening!

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We got a little muddy, we experienced a little Zen, and we had a great time at the program last night! 

Nancy Hart led us through the history of clay, inspired us with her beautiful work, and even walked us all through the tactile experience of silently molding clay with our eyes closed.  As always, Nancy was so fun, interesting and informative.  Thank you Nancy, for a thoroughly enjoyable evening!

The Art of Sculpture in Ceramics – Nancy Hart, October 7

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 While most of us have had the pleasure of meeting Nancy Hart (Stieber), many of us only know her as an always friendly, fun, and helpful fellow member of the Nature Artists’ Guild. What many of us don’t realize is that Nancy is also the retired Staff Artist of the Morton Arboretum and Curator of Rare Prints and Drawings at the Sterling Morton library, as well as the developer of the Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate Program and the founder of our very own Nature Artists’ Guild! A graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Nancy has notable accomplishments in an incredible array of learning, teaching, designing, lecturing and exhibiting (including The Smithsonian Institution, The Art Institute of Chicago, and The New York Natural History Museum) activities. 

Nancy, Rhino, Hippo Head (Raku), Bear

  Please join us as at the arboretum’s Thornhill Educational Center on Thursday, October 7 at 7:00 pm, as Nancy shares her enthusiasm as well as the challenges presented by her newest form of creative expression, the art of sculpture in ceramics. Her new third dimensional work is so different from her previous two dimensional work that Nancy reports that “to think of a piece from all sides at the same time makes my head hurt! But I love it!” She also loves the history around the human use of clay, which is “omnipresent” and “all wrapped up in the earliest of human endeavors”, as well as “the feel of clay at all stages”. Nancy’s love of her latest chosen art form is even more apparent in her statement that “It is almost alive as it changes from dust to the final beauty of artists’ creations”.  Not only will Nancy bring examples of her work and discuss basic hand-building , but she will be bringing clay for each of us and guiding us through the formation of a tea bowl! 

 As always, refreshments will be served and guests and visitors are welcome!

Bring a Book, Take a Book – October 7th

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How many of us have bought books that looked great at the bookstore, but just didn’t fit our expectations when we got them home?   Or loved a book, but read it so many times that it is now committed to memory?  Well, just because you will never again open your copy of Beginners’s Guide to Painting Insects in Pastel, doesn’t mean that you should just throw it away or waste your valuable shelf space.  One of your fellow NAG members might find in it just the inspiration they’ve been looking for!

Our membership chair, Sylvia Tester has organized a book swap for our October 7th meeting featuring Nancy Hart (see story above).  Sylvia notes that “many of us have a host of books about art and natural history”, and “the idea is to bring a book you have read and probably will not read again, and to take home a book that is new to you”.  It is requested that the subject matter be limited to art, photography and natural history.  We hope the book swap is a success that we can repeat in the future!

Prospectus Deadline October 1st!

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Don’t forget that your prospectus for the Holiday Exhibition of the Nature Artists’ Guild must be postmarked by this Friday, October 1st, 2010!    You should have received the prospectus by mail or e-mail in August.  If you have misplaced it, please contact either of the exhibit co-chairs, Sharon Malec or Laverne Bohlin. 

If you are a newer member, whether an experienced artist or beginner and have never exhibited with NAG, please don’t hesitate to exhibit in the holiday show!  You’ll find that your fellow guild members are friendly, supportive and non-competitive, and the experience will be rewarding.

Nature Artists’ Guild Important Dates 2010

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We’ve created a list of Nature Artists’ Guild important dates for the rest of 2010 (deadlines, exhibits, workshops, paint-outs, meetings).  You could print it (on recycled paper, of course) and hang it in a prominent place for help with motivation to get drawing or painting -after all, you have an exhibit coming up! 

Click here to open for reading or printing.

Holiday Exhibit Workshop Scheduled

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The annual Holiday Exhibit Workshop is scheduled for September 25, 2010 Thornhill Room B  from 9:30 am – 1:00 pm.  Workshop coordinators Nancy T. and Sharon M. invite all members to  “Join us to create one of a kind treasures for our Artisan Shop (fundraising table). We have gourds, wooden items, and a felting project, which is a new, fun thing for us. Our fabulous team of fabric artists will guide us through the felting project and we will have holiday fabric coasters to sew together- just 4 straight lines of stitching! We will show you how to make a transfer from your own artwork, which can be part of the design on a wooden piece. You just need to bring a color laser copy, which can be made at any office supply store. We will have 2” square mini canvases available to paint any way you want. Add a magnet or a pin back for a miniature, portable piece of art! Continue reading “Holiday Exhibit Workshop Scheduled” →