Nature Artists’ Guild Exhibit at the Downers Grove Library through January 28, 2024

The special exhibit by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum is now open at the Downers Grove Public Library.

Nature Artists’ Guild members have filled the walls of the library’s exhibit area with works celebrating nature in a variety of media, sizes, styles, and subjects. Large multi-media collages share the space with intricate botanical pieces and bold landscapes painted en plein air.

Many of the more than thirty works have been previously exhibited at The Morton Arboretum and some will be making their Guild exhibit debut at the library.

The exhibit will be open to Downers Grove Library visitors through January 28, 2024 during normal library hours.

Farewell to 2023 from the Nature Artists’ Guild

Deer Morning, copyright Marybeth Devine. Click on the image above for a quick look at 2023 or scroll through this website for all the posts and images.

The Nature Artists’ Guild bids farewell to 2023 with fond memories of programs, paint-outs, parties, exhibits, and the friendship and support of fellow artists.

The Guild would like to welcome first-time and returning members to new opportunities to explore and share the appreciation of nature through art in 2024! 

This Week for the Nature Artists’ Guild

Nature Artists’ Guild members registered for the 2024 Downers Grove Public Library exhibit can drop off their artwork tomorrow, December 16, between 10 and 11:30 am (specifics are in the prospectus emailed on November 18).


Guild members participating in the 2023 Holiday Card Exchange should send their handmade cards by tomorrow, December 16.


Members should renew for 2024 (or new members join) by the end of this month to ensure receiving all the benefits of membership for the new year.


Top to bottom: Detail of January 9, copyright Maggie Capettini, 2022 Holiday Card Project samples, Nature Artists’ Guild logo.

Downers Grove Library to Feature the Nature Artists’ Guild throughout January 2024

January 9, oil, copyright Maggie Capettini

A flash of color in the subtle landscape is often a welcome sight for artists, photographers, and other wanderers of the woods and fields during the winter months. Maggie Capettini found her inspiration and depicted it with wonderful exuberance in ‘January 9’.

Two of Maggie’s winter landscapes will be exhibited along with botanical, wildlife, garden, and other scenes of nature in all seasons by fellow members of the Nature Artists’ Guild at the Downers Grove Public Library throughout January 2024.

The Downers Grove Public Library has a long history of supporting the visual arts, with an expansive gallery area and numerous works by local and internationally-renowned artists in their permanent collection. Each January, the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum adds to the library visitors’ artistic experience with its own special exhibit.

Guild members were emailed the prospectus and all the details on December 8. Registrations (online or by mail) must be submitted by December 11, 2023 to participate.

A Peek at December for the Nature Artists’ Guild

Hide and Seek, copyright Jeffrey Zawada

The Nature Artists’ Guild has a busy December ahead, with a party, handmade cards, and the beginning of an exhibit. Here is a quick look –

  • Guild members are invited to attend the annual Holiday Party at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum on the evening of December 7, 2023. Members were recently emailed an invitation with all the details. (Reminder – tickets for the raffle will be available by cash or check only.) Volunteers are already hard at work making preparations for a lovely and enjoyable event!
  • December 7, 2023 will also be the last day for Nature Artists’ Guild members to register to participate in the fun and creative annual tradition of exchanging a handmade holiday card with a fellow artist. Details were emailed earlier this week, and members can complete this form to sign up. For those participants who would like to use them, blank white cards will be available, free of charge, at the Holiday Party. Here is a sample of the cards created for last year’s exchange.

Did you know? If you received this post by email, you can always click on Nature Artists’ Guild at the upper right corner of the email to visit the website, where you can scroll through former posts, use the menu to view member artwork, check the Important Dates page, or use the Search bar to look up a name or keyword.

Exhibit Artwork from the Nature Artists’ Guild

Sparrow, copyright Lisa Kanellos. Click on the image for more than 50 images from the recent exhibit at The Morton Arboretum.

A little bird told us that the 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum, featuring over 200 works of art by more than 60 members of the Guild, was a resounding success (with a little help from the beautiful autumn weather). The Nature Artists’ Guild would like to thank the exhibit coordinators, participating artists, volunteers, demonstrators, Arboretum employees, and visitors who helped to make it so.

Please click here or on the sparrow above to view more than 50 images, along with titles and artists’ names.

Many of these works will also be included in the Guild’s Downers Grove Public Library special exhibit throughout January 2024. More details to come soon.

Click on any image for the full version. Use arrows to scroll through images.

The 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum This Weekend, November 10 – 12

Poster art by Joe Rizzo. Poster design by Jane Kellenberger.

Click on the following links or scroll through the website for –

Artists Creating Art at the 2023 Autumn Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum

The 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit by the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum will open next Friday evening, November 10. The exhibit will feature over 200 works by more than 60 members of the Guild, including many by Featured Artist Joe Rizzo.

Visitors to the exhibit will also have the opportunity to meet and interact with some of the artists as they demonstrate their methods and share inspirations, techniques, and tools.

Friday, November 10, 5 – 7 pm

Dale Olsen, pastels

Palm House, Kew Gardens, Dale Olsen

Saturday, November 11, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Pat Mroczka, watercolor

Dreamy Lillypads, copyright Pat Mroczka

Saturday, November 11, 1 – 3 pm

Michelle Buziak, scratchboard

Lake Sturgeon Adult and Juvenile, copyright Michelle Buziak
Short Eared owl, copyright Michelle Buziak

Sunday, November 12, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Mary Ann Jimenez, silverpoint with powdered pastels

My Favorite Flower, in progress and complete, copyright Mary Ann Jimenez

Sunday, November 12, 1 -3 pm

Linda Hilderbrant, watercolor with colored pencils

Hummingbird (in progress), copyright Linda Hilderbrant

Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2023 Autumn Art Exhibit Preview

Flamboyant Departure, copyright Jeff Walter

Please click on the image above for a closer look (including titles and artist names)at a sample of artwork that will be included in the upcoming 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum from the evening of Friday, November 10 through Sunday, November 12.

The exhibit will showcase over 200 works by more than 60 members of the Nature Artists’ Guild. Many more images of artwork to come (after the exhibit)!

An Invitation to the 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit Reception

Right-click to download the invitation for sharing by email or social media. A copy of the invitation is not required to attend the reception.

All are invited to the reception for the Nature Artists’ Guild 2023 Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum. The reception will take place from 4:30 to 7 pm on Friday, November 10, 2023 at the Cudahy Room (adjacent to the Sterling Morton Library) inside the Administration Building of The Morton Arboretum. In addition to over 200 works of art by more than 60 members of the Nature Artists’ Guild, there will be an art demonstration, raffle and fundraising items, and light refreshments at the reception.

The above invitation can be downloaded to share with friends and family by email or social media by right-clicking on the image. Printed exhibit postcards are also available at the desk in the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum while supplies last.

There will no charge for admission to The Morton Arboretum for this event. Admission to the exhibit and parking are also free and no tickets or copies of the invitation are required. Visitors can let the gate attendant at the Arboretum know they are there for the event to be directed to the exhibit location.