Where the Garden Leads, copyright Lora Lee Gelles, was included in last year’s Autumn Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum. Click on image for more.
Recent cool evenings are beginning to hint at the coming wonders of autumn, especially the spectacular displays of color. Nature Artists’ Guild exhibits, paint-outs, a program, and a workshop (as well as a selection of classes offered by The Morton Arboretum) will help withexploring and celebrating these wonders.
In just a few weeks, prospectuses for the 2026 Autumn Exhibit at the Morton Arboretum and Fauna, the display of 8 x 8 works honoring the Arboretum, will be emailed to members. (New members who join the Guild before the prospectus due date will be eligible to participate in these exhibits.)
The Nature Artists’ Guild will sponsor a program by oil pastel artist George Shipperly on the evening of Thursday, October 1, at The Morton Arboretum. This presentation will be free and open to the public, and no registration will be required. More details coming soon.
A return of the free workshop for Guild members, Wood Slice Ornaments with Lindsay Sandbothe, will be held on October 10. Registration is required, and only a few spots remain for this popular event.
For those who want to learn a new skill or increase their skills with expert instruction, The Morton Arboretum has updated its schedule of classes to include some old favorites as well as new and unique offerings. These classes are open to all, and registration fees apply.
And for those who just want to drop by to enjoy the wonderful sights and sounds of The Morton Arboretum on a weekday morning without the crowds, the Guild’s Coffee and Art gatherings continue each Wednesday, beginning at about 9:30 in the Visitor Center.
July brings a multitude of wonders for artistic inspiration, and Nature Artists’ Guild members and The Morton Arboretum are generously providing opportunitiesto enjoy many of them.
On the morning of Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 9:30, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will meet at fellow artist Mary Ann Thompson’s home to paint and sketch the beauty of her garden. Mary Ann’s garden is filled with wonders, including a large koi pond and swaths of floral color. Coffee and delicious pastries will be provided, and registration is required.
Two weeks later, on Thursday, July 23, another Guild member, Ann Lamoureux, will open her garden to fellow artists. The wonders of Ann’s garden include numerous large trees shading and cooling the surrounding flora, as well as the artists painting it. More about this paint-out coming soon, and registration is required.
Nature Artists’ Guild members and guests can sketch birds, butterflies, and bees at The Morton Arboretum each Wednesday morning, about 9:30, at a Coffee and Art gathering at the Visitor Center. These cool mornings, before the crowds, would be perfect opportunities for members to work on their contributions to this autumn’s small works display, “Fauna,” or to just enjoy the company of fellow artists. (An Arboretum membership or gate fee will be necessary for entry.)
Pondside Dancer, copyright Terrie McComb, White Petunia, copyright Marge Hall, Oriental Bittersweet, copyright Kumie Kim
It’s a great time to set aside a few hours from the gardening, summer parties, and vacation plans to enjoy some nature and art with the Guild.
Coming up this Thursday evening, June 4, 2026, at 7, is the Nature Artists’ Guild’s annual “Talented Trio” program, featuring three members demonstrating their methods and materials at The Morton Arboretum. This program is free and open to the public, and there will be no charge for the event, for entrance to the Arboretum, or for parking. No registration is required.Details here.
Next Thursday, June 11, 2026, the first summer paint-out for Guild members will be held at the private garden of Anne and Charles Bouchard, in Glen Ellyn, IL from 9:30 until noon. A large, beautiful garden and wonderful pastries will be on hand for participants. Registration is required.
Garden of Anne and Charles Bouchard, Glen Ellyn, IL. Photo credit Anne and Charles Bouchard.
Each Wednesday morning, at about 9:30, Guild members and their guests meet at the Arboretum’s Visitor Center for coffee, friendship, and the opportunity to sketch or photograph the surrounding beauty. “Coffee and Art” is a casual weekly gathering, and all are invited to drop by.
Registration is now open to all forThe Morton Arboretum’s summer classes and workshops, including a new offering of a “Plein Air Community Meet-Up.” The meet-ups are not classes, but gatherings of artists interested in painting nature, and will take place every other Wednesday evening throughout the summer, from 5 to 7:30, beginning on June 10. Member Maggie Mardis will be attending the first event and sharing information about the Guild. Guild membership is not required to attend, but registration is required, and there is a nominal fee.
Everyone is invited to The Morton Arboretum on the evening of June 4, 2026, at 7 pm for a free program featuring three talented members of the Nature Artists’ Guild!
Each year, the Guild invites three of its artists to share their sources of inspiration, their methods, and their list of favorite materials with the audience as they demonstrate their processes.
This year, the Guild will welcome visitors to the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum on June 4, 2026, at 7 pm for a program featuring Terrie McComb sharing techniques for using colored pencil on Mylar film, Marge Hall working in oils, and Kumie Kim demonstrating watercolor.
This free event, sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum, will be open to the public. Visitors can enter the Arboretum free of charge by letting the gate attendant know they are there for the program, and they will be directed to free parking for the Thornhill Education Center. No registration is required. Plenty of seating and free light refreshments will be available.
Pondside Dancer, colored pencil on Mylar Film, copyright Terrie McComb
White petunia, oil, copyright Marge Hall
Oriental bittersweet, watercolor, copyright Kumie Kim
The next few months will be filled with opportunities for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild to share, sketch, and learn, all while enjoying the company of fellow artists.
The Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum will be the location for the Nature Artists’ Guild’s trio of artist demonstrations on the evening of June 4, 2026, beginning at 7. Three talented Guild members will share their inspirations, methods, and materials at this popular annual event. The program will be open to all, free of charge, and registration is not required.
On June 11, 2026 (rain date June 12), Anne and Charles Bouchard will share their professionally designed and beautifully updated private garden in Glen Ellyn, IL, with members of the Guild from 9:30 until noon.Guild members can register here for this event, the first of four different private garden paint-outs scheduled for this summer.
Initial preparations for this summer’s Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit at the Bloomingdale Park District Museum have begun, and prospectuses will be emailed to all members next month. The exhibit will run from August 8 until September 12, 2026, and will include member demonstrations and an opening reception. Guild members will have the opportunity to enter work previously exhibited at The Morton Arboretum or juried by email photos.
Guild members can use this busy time of wildlife activity to begin their contributions to this autumn’s special display of 8 x 8 works honoring the Arboretum, “Fauna.” Each member will be eligible to include up to three unframed works, which must be 8 x 8 inches, less than 1/2 inch deep, and inspired by the fauna of the Arboretum. (Examples of last year’s small works display, “Flora,” can be seen here.)
As always, Guild members (and guests) are invited to attend a casual Wednesday morning gathering at the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum, Coffee and Art. This friendly and welcoming group of artists spends a few hours each week chatting, sketching, or just enjoying the morning sights and sounds of the Arboretum. No registration is required.
More details about these and more events coming soon!
Award-winning pastel artist Nancie King Mertz will demonstrate and discuss her materials, methods, and inspirations at The Morton Arboretum on Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 7 until 9 pm.
What a magnificent opportunity to watch a world-renowned pastel artist in action! Nancie will bring some of her completed paintings for in-person viewing, along with her hand-selected private label sets of Richeson Soft Handmade Pastels. Copies of her demonstration source photo will be shared with the audience so they can visually follow along as she works.
This program, sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild, is open to the public free of charge. There will also be no charge for parking or admission to The Morton Arboretum for the event. No registration is required, and visitors can let the Arboretum gate attendant know they are there for the program to be directed to the Thornhill Education Center.
Plenty of seating and complimentary light refreshments will be available.
Plein-air pastel painting, copyright Nancie King Mertz
The Nature Artists’ Guild is thrilled to sponsor a program and demonstration by 2025 Pastel Society of America Hall of Fame Honoree Nancie King Mertz on the evening of Thursday, March 5, 2026, at The Morton Arboretum.
All are invited to attend a presentation and demonstration by Nancie on March 5, from 7 until 9 pm, at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum. The program will be open to the public, free of charge, and there will be no charge for parking or admission to the Arboretumfor this event. Plenty of seating and delicious light refreshments will be available. No registration is required, and visitors can let the gate attendant know they are there for the program to be admitted and directed to Thornhill.
Plein-air pastel painting, copyright Nancie King Mertz
“Inspired by the intersection of nature, science, and art,” beautifully describes both the process and the finished works by textile artist Kristin Field. Kristin will share some of that inspiration in an online presentation, sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum, on Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 7 pm.
Dyed textiles, Kristin Field
Kristin Field is a textile artist, natural dyer, weaver, and gardener based in Chicago, IL. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Fiber and Material Studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Kristin grows dye plants like indigo, madder, and coreopsis in her small garden alongside food and cut flowers. She uses these plants to create naturally dyed textiles, and she extracts and works with natural pigments to make watercolor paints and inks. Through working with natural dyes, pigments, and fibers, she seeks to give attention and recognition to the subtle wonders that surround us in our everyday lives.
In this artist’s talk, Kristin will discuss her natural dyeing practice, her experience growing dye plants in Chicago over the last 7 years, her soil chromatography work, and past and current textile projects inspired by the intersection of nature, science, and art. – fieldandgardner.com
Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will be emailed a link and instructions for attending this live online program, and guests may request a free link here. There will be time for questions at the end of the talk. (The program will not be recorded.)
HEY… The Birdfeeder is Empty!, copyright Dan Danielson
The DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center reports that January, which might seem quiet in Chicagoland’s natural world, is actually quite busy! For instance –
Tomorrow, January 18, a free reception for the Guild’s special exhibit at the Downers Grove Public Library will be held from 2 to 4. Everyone is invited to stop by the exhibit and support the artists while enjoying some light refreshments.
On Wednesday, January 21, Guild members are invited to stop by an informal gathering at the Wheaton Public Library at 11:30 to enjoy even more nature art by their fellow artists. Those interested in having lunch at nearby Bien Trucha afterward at 12:30 can RSVP here or by contacting Celia Rodee.
Nature Artists’ Guild members are encouraged to spend a quiet hour at home this month, looking through and photographing their spring-inspired artwork for possible inclusion in the upcoming issue of the Quarterly. Images, articles, and announcements can be emailed to Jane Kellenberger by February 1.
The annual paint-out at Orchids by Hausermann is scheduled for Thursday, February 5, from 7:30 until 10 am. This tropical destination is a favorite of Guild artists, who are invited to spend the morning, before the showroom opens, surrounded by gorgeous orchids in bloom. Space is limited, and registration is required.
Later in the evening of February 5, members (and guests who request a link) will be able to log in to join a Guild-sponsored online presentation by textile artist Kristin Field. Links to the program will be emailed the preceding week. (Much more about Kristin and her fascinating work coming soon.)
As always, members and visitors are welcome to stop by the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum any Wednesday morning about 9:30 to spend time chatting, sipping, and sketching with fellow artists at Coffee and Art.
Artwork from 2024 Holiday Card, copyright Suzanne Wegener
Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are invited to spend a fun and festive evening with their fellow artists at this year’s holiday celebration, “Jingle & Mingle,” on Thursday, December 4, 2025, from 6 to 8:30.
The Morton Arboretum will provide the beautiful setting, both indoors and out, with a crackling fire in the Founders Room (the historic former library of the Morton family) to greet guests after their short walk through a snowy wonderland (somehow even more stunning after dark) to the Thornhill Education Center.
Fellow members of the Nature Artists Guild will provide the warmth of friendship. After enjoying appetizers and punch in the Founders Room, Guild members will gather in the adjacent Arbor Room for desserts, a raffle of art and nature-related items, and a few fun surprises.
No ticket or RSVP is required, and Guild members can check their emailed invitations for details. This event is reserved for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild and their guests.
Nature Artists' Guild 
