Nature Artists’ Guild Exhibit at McCord Gallery Opens June 10, 2023

Postcard artwork by Alice Wych. Postcard design by McCord Gallery & Cultural Center. Right click to download a copy for sharing.

All are invited to a reception on Sunday, June 11 between 1 and 3 pm for light refreshments and an opportunity to meet and support participating artists while enjoying the exhibit at this lovely historic gallery.

The exhibit will continue through July 7, 2023 and is open to the public during regular gallery hours at the McCord Gallery & Cultural Center.

Postcard design by McCord Gallery & Cultural Center. Right click to download a copy for sharing.

This and That for the Nature Artists’ Guild

Garden of Anne and Charles Bouchard, Glen Ellyn, IL. Photo credit Anne and Charles Bouchard.

Now that members of the Nature Artists’ Guild have had time to experience some of the beauty and wonder (as well as yard work and gardening) that are all part of spring in Chicagoland, it is time to get back to creating and sharing some art!

Coming up for the Nature Artists’ Guild –

  • Registrations for participation in the upcoming special exhibit at the McCord Gallery are due by May 24, 2023 (just four days from now!) The prospectus and a link to the registration form were emailed to all members on April 29. The McCord Gallery, just half an hour from The Morton Arboretum, features a wonderful gallery space and is active in promoting their exhibits with a reception, postcards, and community outreach. For the first time, Nature Artists’ Guild members will be eligible to also register artwork not previously shown at the Arboretum (details here).
  • May 30, 2023 is the final day to visit the Guild’s exhibit at the Woodridge Public Library, More than thirty pieces of nature art by members of the Guild were exhibited in their gallery space for all visitors to the library to enjoy and be inspired by throughout the month.
  • On Thursday evening, June 1, 2023, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild, guests, and visitors will meet at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum for the annual “Trio of Nature Artists” program featuring three members of the Guild demonstrating and discussing fascinating techniques they use for creating nature art. This event is open to the public, free of charge (details here).
  • Guild members are invited to a paint-out at a stunning private garden in Glen Ellyn on the morning of June 15, 2023. Paint-Out Coordinator Celia Rodee will be offering coffee and scones to attendees to add to the enjoyment of what promises to be an idyllic morning. Members who would like to attend should notify Celia by email or by clicking here. Photos and details (scone flavors!) coming soon.
  • The weekly Art and Coffee gatherings continue to meet each Wednesday morning between 9 and 11 at the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum. All members of the Nature Artists’ Guild as well as those interested in hearing more about the Guild are welcome to stop by. The meeting place is absolutely surrounded by blooms this spring and when the weather permits, attendees can move outdoors to enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents of the morning.
  • It’s the perfect time of the year for Guild members to visit another location from the Joy’s Vision project to sketch or gather reference material. Joy Path (including the Fragrance Garden) will be particularly fetching.

Exhibit at McCord Gallery by the Nature Artists’ Guild in June 2023

I’m Hiding in the Tall Grass, charcoal, copyright Deana Bada Maloney will be included in the Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit at the McCord Gallery in June 2023

The McCord Gallery & Cultural Center began in a historic building in Palos Park, IL, has since expanded with an annex that includes an “expanded gallery, classroom, stage, and full kitchen facilities,” and now functions as a treasured “learning center for the arts and cultural history.”

Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild have been invited to participate in a special exhibit at the gallery from June 10 through July 7, 2023. A reception will be held on the afternoon of June 11.

For the first time, new work (not previously shown at a Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit at The Morton Arboretum) will also be eligible for the special exhibit. Members who wish to include not-previously-exhibited work can do so by completing the registration form (online or by mail) and separately emailing a photo of the work (including mat and frame if applicable) to Maggie Mardis for approval of compliance to Guild guidelines for subject matter and presentation. Previously shown (at a Guild exhibit) artwork does not require further review and can be registered without emailing a photo.

Links to the prospectus and registration form were emailed to members of the Nature Artists’ Guild on April 29, and completed forms must be returned by May 24. Contact information for Maggie Mardis can be found in the Guild’s Yearbook.

McCord House, photo credit McCordGallery.org

Nature Artists’ Guild Exhibit at Woodridge Library throughout May 2023

Poster artwork by Cheryl Holz

All are invited to stop in at the Woodridge Public Library during regular library hours to enjoy a special exhibit of nearly thirty works of art by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum. The exhibit will continue through the end of May 2023.

In other Nature Artists’ Guild news –

  • Guild members who have contributions for the summer issue of the Quarterly should email them to Jane Kellenberger by today, May 1.
  • There will be a gathering for Art and Coffee this Wednesday from 9 until 11 at the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum. Members and their guests, as well as visitors wishing to learn more about the Nature Artists’ Guild, are welcome to stop by.
  • A prospectus for the special exhibit at McCord Gallery & Cultural Center was emailed to all members of the Nature Artists’ Guild on April 29. Completed registrations must be returned by May 24 (by mail or online with the link provided on the prospectus). More details to come.

Nature Artists’ Guild Exhibit at Woodridge Public Library throughout May 2023

Pastel Prairie Grass by Cheryl Holz

Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are invited to participate in a special exhibit throughout May 2023 at the gallery of the Woodridge Public Library, a large and modern establishment serving over 500,000 visitors per year.

The special exhibit will feature artwork previously shown at The Morton Arboretum and will offer library visitors the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the creativity of the Guild’s artists.

Those members of the Nature Artists’ Guild who would like to participate can register by mail or by completing this online form by April 19. The prospectus for the exhibit was emailed on April 5.

In Other Nature Artists’ Guild News –

  • The 2023 Spring Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum was a resounding success, with well over one thousand visitors stopping in over the weekend to view the wonderful works of nature art. An online sample of the artwork will be coming soon. (Participating artists can still email their artwork images to Denise Fisk before April 19 to be included in the online display.)
  • The muffins, the daffodils, the artists, and the weather were at their best for the recent paint-out at the Arboretum’s Daffodil Glade. The scene of artists dotted across the glade among the daffodils brought some joy to plenty of Arboretum visitors driving or walking by. Some participants will be exhibiting the day’s accomplishments in this autumn’s small-works exhibit, Joy’s Vision.
  • A paint-out has been planned for May 4, 2023 at Lilacia Park , a “horticultural showcase that features over 700 lilacs and 35,000 tulips annually,” in Lombard, IL. The paint-out date is just before the opening of the annual Lilac Time festival, when the blooms will be at their peak. Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild can email Celia Rodee or register here to be added to the email list for details and updates.
  • The Wednesday morning Art and Coffee gatherings continue at the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum, near the cafe, between 9 until 11:30 am. Nature Artists’ Guild members, their guests, or any artists interested in learning more about the Guild are invited to stop by to sketch, sip, chat, or watch the morning unfold in a beautiful setting. With the weather warming up, some participants may even be wandering outdoors for some plein-air work or reference sketches or photos.

Some Spring Events for the Nature Artists’ Guild

(Right-click on image to share with friends and family)
  • The 2023 Spring Art Exhibit featuring over 200 works by more than 50 members of the Nature Artists’ Guild opens at The Morton Arboretum with a reception on the evening of Friday, April 14 and continues throughout the weekend.
  • Forecasters are predicting gorgeous weather for the Daffodil Glade paint-out on the morning of Thursday, April 13, 2023. Just as importantly, paint-out coordinator Celia Rodee is predicting that there were be plenty of Harvest and Blueberry Cornflake muffins for everyone! There is still time for Nature Artists’ Guild members to sign up for the event and receive an email with all the details.
  • The Art and Coffee gathering will not take take place on April 12, but will return on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. So much will be starting to bloom around the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum, and members and their guests are welcome to stop by between 9 and 11:30 to sketch, sip, and chat, or simply enjoy the view.

From Bold and Beautiful to Delicate and Detailed

Flora or fauna, vibrant or muted, bold or delicate, loose or detailed – members of the Nature Artists’ Guild do it all.

Downers Grove Public Library will host an exhibit of works by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum throughout January 2023. The library has a long tradition of proudly collecting and exhibiting the work of a wide variety of artists, from local to international, within two dedicated gallery spaces. The Nature Artists’ Guild is honored to participate each January.

Links to the prospectus and a library disclaimer were emailed to members on November 21, 2022. All artwork must have been included in a previous Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit and members will need to have renewed their guild membership for 2023 in order to participate. Completed forms must be returned by mail to Gary Chipman, postmarked by Saturday, December 10, 2022 and the artwork drop-off will be on the following Saturday, December 17.

Celebrating the Season on December 1, 2022

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.)

Autumn Art Exhibit of the Nature Artists’ Guild November 11 – 13, 2022

Poster artwork by Featured Artist Alice Wych. Poster design by Jane Kellenberger. Exhibit posters and postcards are available to pick up between 9 and 4 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at the Thornhill Education Center. Members are encouraged to share with local businesses, family and friends.

The 2022 Autumn Art Exhibit of the Nature Artists’ Guild at The Morton Arboretum will showcase more than 150 pieces by approximately 50 members, including numerous works by Featured Artist Alice Wych.

Nature Artists’ Guild members’ small works celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Schulenberg Prairie will be also be displayed at the adjacent Sterling Morton Library during exhibit hours.

In addition to viewing the exhibit artwork, visitors will be able to purchase original artwork on slate, buy tickets for raffle items, and interact with artists who will be demonstrating their techniques. More details to come about the 2022 Autumn Art exhibit.

Also coming up –

A paint-out next Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at Lake Marmo of The Morton Arboretum will take place between 9 am and noon. Interested members can contact Linn Eldred for details and to be added to her email list for updates.

Sterling Pond, Autumn, copyright Dale Olsen

No pre-registration is necessary to participate in the exhibit celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Schulenberg Prairie. Details for participating were recently emailed to Nature Artists’ Guild members.

Prairie artwork, copyright Marlene Vitek (first two) and Maggie Mardis.

Even though the October 19th Coffee and Art will be cancelled so that members can attend the Lake Marmo paint-out, the gatherings will return the following Wednesday. Recent weeks have focused on fantastic feathers, but the next few will feature, of course, lovely leaves.

Colors of Fall, copyright Mary Ann Jimenez

The Morton Arboretum Photographic Society is also celebrating the Schulenberg Prairie’s anniversary with Seasons of the Schulenberg. The exhibit at the Sterling Morton Library ends on October 16, but the stunning images will soon be available for viewing on their website.

Even more –

  • The last day for members to submit photos or articles for the Winter Quarterly is November 1, 2022. Images of winter-related artwork can be sent to Jane Kellenberger.
  • The Nature Artists’ Guild’s Holiday Party with raffles, food, and fun will be on the evening of Thursday, December 1, 2022 at the Thornhill Education Center. Members will receive an invitation by email with all the details.
  • Next January’s special exhibit at the Downers Grove Library will have an earlier drop-off date of December 17, 2022 this year. A prospectus and all the details will be emailed to members.