The Nature Artists’ Guild Wishes You a Holiday Season Filled with Peace and Joy
Category: Member Artwork
Seasons Greetings from the Nature Artists’ Guild
It’s time to grab a warm beverage and take a break – the 2022 Nature Artists’ Guild members’ holiday cards have arrived!
Many thanks to Celia Rodee for coordinating this year’s exchange of handmade holiday cards and to all the participating members for sharing their time and talents.
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.
How to Be Like a Chickadee
How to be-be-be like a chickadee-dee-dee? By spreading cheer to end the year!
No need to snatch peanuts, hop around, or chatter away (although it might be fun!) – there is another way to join these endearing little birds in spreading cheer during the cold, short days of winter.
2022 is the third year for the newest tradition for the Nature Artists’ Guild, the exchange of handmade cards at the end of the year to share and celebrate the wonders of nature and spread some cheer.
Interested Nature Artists’ Guild members can sign up with Celia Rodee (by email or by clicking here) by Sunday, December 4, 2022. Celia will randomly match each name with a recipient and email the recipient’s name and address to the sender on Monday, December 5. Every member who sends a card will receive one from another randomly-selected member.
A blank multi-media card and envelope will be available to pick up at the Nature Artists’ Guild’s holiday party at the Thornhill Education Center on December 1 for each participant, but any mail-able art surface is acceptable to use.
Cards should be mailed by Thursday, December 15, 2022. Before mailing out their handmade cards, participants are encouraged to take a photo to share on this website (email to Denise Fisk) to spread the cheer even further. The images won’t be shared on the website until after all cards have been received in the mail – no spoilers here!
The Schulenberg Prairie’s 60th Anniversary
This is just a small sample of artwork created by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Schulenberg Prairie. Thirty-six 8 by 8 inch works inspired by the Schulenberg Prairie were exhibited at the Sterling Morton Library of The Morton Arboretum along with the Nature Artists’ Guild’s annual Autumn Art Exhibit in the adjacent Cudahy Room of the Administration Building. Both exhibits were open to all visitors to the Arboretum on November 12 and 13, 2022 from 10 to 4 and for an Artist Reception on the previous evening.
From the Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2022 Autumn Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum
Long-eared Owl, copyright Nancy Wu 
Lake Marmo Reflections, copyright Laverne Bohlin 
Golden-crowned Kinglet, copyright Vicki Liszewski 
Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema Triphyllum), copyright Kumie Kim 
Dunes Walk, copyright Cindy Kerchmar 
Copper Beech, copyright Arlene Widrevitz 
Along the Water, copyright Marlene Vitek 
Magnolia Buds, copyright Lisa Kanellos 
Sanctuary, copyright Margaret Navolio 
Prairie, copyright Marlene Vitek 
Tree and Oak Leaves, copyright Marlene Vitek 
Camofrog, copyright Linda Hilderbrant 
Cloud 1, copyright Haruo Kurokawa 
Bucket of Zinnias, copyright Margaret Navolio 
Young Barred Owl, copyright Cindy Kerchmar 
Windy day on the Big Hill, copyright Beth Berry 
Staying Warm, copyright Beth Berry 
Turban Squash (Cucurbita Maxima)-, copyright Kumie Kim 
Stillness in the Morning, copyright Beth Berry 
Open Water, copyright Gary Chipman 
Tomato, copyright Lisa Kanellos 
Ephemeral, copyright Yvonne Buckley 
Rest Stop, copyright Bernadette Hanacek 
Springbrook Summer Solstic Sunrise – Walking the Prairie, copyright Cheryl Holz 
Cabbage White, copyright Vicki Liszewski 
Twin Oaks at Twilight, copyright Gary Chipman 
Artichoke, copyright Brooke Wiseman 
Autumnal Rhapsody, copyright Ann Lamoureux 
Cloud 2, copyright Haruo Kurokawa 
Night Owl…Owl you need is Love!, copyright Jacky Surma 
Rectilinear Forest Fern, copyright Cheryl Holz 
Imposing Irises, copyright Alice Wych 
The Curious Pileated Woodpecker, copyright Karen Remkus 
Alpine Glacier Melt, copyright Patty Koenigsaecker 
McDowell Woods, copyright Yvonne Buckley 
Autumn Leaves in Icy Puddle, copyright Margie Navolio 
HollyHocks, copyright Linn Eldred 
Honey Crisp, copyright Dorothy Duffala 
Grape Honeysuckle (Lonicera Reticulata), copyright Kumie Kim 
Great Blue Heron, copyright Mary Voegeli 
Warren Woods, copyright Cindy Kerchmar 
Pink Magnolia, copyright Jill Adzia 
Sign of Spring, copyright Alice Wych 
Winter Grasses, copyright Laverne Bohlin 
Springbrook Summer Solstice -What lies Beneath, copyright Cheryl Holz 
Mushrooms & Monarch Butterfly, copyright Linn Eldred 
Barred Over Boreal, copyright Carol Cooley
Please enjoy this sample from the approximately 200 pieces of wonderful artwork celebrating nature recently exhibited by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild in the 2022 Autumn Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum.
The images are also available for viewing on the 2022 Autumn Art Exhibit page of this website, along with instructions for contacting the artists.
Congratulations and thank you to all of the many volunteers, artists, employees of The Morton Arboretum, and visitors for their contributions in making the exhibit a success.
Images from the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Schulenberg Prairie will be coming soon.
Nature Artists’ Guild Exhibit This Weekend at The Morton Arboretum
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.
The exhibit is free of charge for The Morton Arboretum’s visitors on Saturday and Sunday (entry pass to the Arboretum required.) Those attending the Friday evening reception will not require an entry pass and can let the gate attendant know they are there for the reception to be admitted and directed to the Administration Building.
A Few Reminders for our Members
This Wednesday, November 9, 2022, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild can go to the Administration Building of The Morton Arboretum between 6 and 7:30 pm to do any or all of following-
- Drop off artwork for the upcoming 2022 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit (pre-registration was required.)
- Drop off completed color pencil on slate tiles to be sold to visitors as a fundraiser for the Nature Artists’ Guild during the exhibit.
- Drop off up to three pieces of 8 by 8 inch artwork for the Schulenberg Prairie 60th Anniversary project (no pre-registration required.)
- Pick up a blank multi-media card and envelope and sign up to participate in the 2022 Holiday Card Exchange (more details to come about this annual exchange of hand-made holiday cards.) Please click here for images from some of last year’s participants.
- Renew by check or cash their membership for 2023.
A Preview of the 2022 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit
Here is a small sample from the more than 150 works to be included in the Nature Artists’ Guild’s Autumn Nature Art Exhibit November 11 through 13, 2022 at The Morton Arboretum. Please click on any image for the full version. Many more artwork images to come soon!
Artists Creating Art November 11 through 13, 2022
In addition to enjoying more than 150 pieces of nature art and viewing additional works created to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Schulenberg Prairie, visitors to the Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2022 Autumn Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum will have the opportunity to observe and interact with artists working in a fascinating variety of media.
On Friday evening, November 11, from 7 until 9, Nancy Halliday will be demonstrating her techniques for depicting realistic flora and fauna in watercolor.
Dale Olsen is known for his stunning large landscapes created in oil or acrylic. On Saturday morning, November 12, from 10:30 until 12:30, Dale will be working in acrylic.
On Saturday afternoon, November 12, from 1 until 3, Linda Hilderbrant will complete her beautifully detailed color pencil piece, White pine, by adding branching to the pinecone.
Arlene Widrevitz will be sharing techniques for using silverpoint to create subtly beautiful drawings on Sunday morning, November 13, from 10:30 until 12:30.
On Sunday afternoon, November 13, from 1 until 3, Linn Eldred will share tips for using soft brushes with the dust obtained from soft pastels to create vibrant paintings.
The artists are looking forward to speaking with visitors, answering questions, and sharing ideas, inspirations, and tips! The demonstrations will take place in the lobby of the Administration Building (adjacent to the Cudahy Room and the Sterling Morton Library) throughout the Autumn Art Exhibit.
Nature Artists' Guild 