The next program sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild is only one week away, on Thursday evening, August 1, 2019 from 7 until 9 pm at The Morton Arboretum. This program will feature three stations with different types of artwork being done at each. Please click on this link to read more.
All fans of nature and art are welcome to attend, free-of-charge.
Autumn Prairie, pen and ink, copyright Nancy Kolar.
Full Wolf Blood Moon, copyright Arlene Widrevitz
Thistle, copyright Jill Adzia
Please click on any of the images for larger versions and artist names.
Each August, the Nature Artists’ Guild invites three of its members to share tips and techniques for creating artwork in “new” (or sometimes ancient) ways. This annual program is open to all and free of charge for parking, admission, and entry to The Morton Arboretum. Members, guests, and visitors are welcome to attend on Thursday, August 1, 2019 from 7 until 9 pm. There will be light refreshments and door prizes. There is no membership requirement for either the Arboretum or the Nature Artists’ Guild for this event. Visitors should let the gate attendant at the Arboretum’s main entrance know they are there for the Nature Artists’ Guild program to be admitted and directed to the Thornhill Education Center.
The Arbor Room room in Thornhill will be set up into three different stations. The audience will divide into three casual groups and visit each station for approximately 20 minutes to listen, watch, and ask questions (and occasionally participate) and then move to the next (or stay at the same place if so inspired). It is a fun and informative event and a great opportunity to meet other artists and learn some new techniques.
At one of the stations, Jill Adzia will be sharing her tips and techniques for working with scratchboard, including the use of color to create stunning pieces.
Pileated Woodpecker, copyright Jill Adzia
Scratchboard artwork, copyright Jill Adzia
Thistle, copyright Jill Adzia
At another station, Arlene Widrevitz will discuss her adventures in the ancient art of Mokuhanga, Japanese woodblock printing.
Fritillaria, work in progress, copyright Arlene Widrevitz
Shingle Urchins, copyright Arlene Widrevitz
Full Wolf Blood Moon, copyright Arlene Widrevitz
At the third station, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild who participated in the 2019 Summer Encounter led by Evelyn Grala will be exhibiting their completed “progressive” artwork at the third station. These examples by Nancy Kolar show the progression towards the finished piece.
Autumn Prairie Part 2, copyright Nancy Kolar
Autumn Prairie Part 4, copyright Nancy Kolar
Autumn Prairie Part 6, copyright Nancy Kolar
Autumn Prairie Part 7, copyright Nancy Kolar
Autumn Prairie, pen and ink, copyright Nancy Kolar.
Watch the prairie grow with these images of the creation of Autumn Prairie by Nancy Kolar!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Participating members of the Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2019 Summer Encounter will each be creating their own large piece of nature art by adding to it each week. Member Nancy Kolar’s finished progressive artwork is being used as an example, and shows that each week’s addition could be considered a completed piece of art. Nancy used pen and ink in her piece, but participants can choose any one medium of their choice for the project. Finished pieces will be on display at the August 1, 2019 Nature Artists’ Guild program.
Thank you to Evelyn Grala for leading this project and encouraging members with weekly updates, and to Nancy Kolar for sharing her beautiful artwork as inspiration. It is fascinating to note that Nancy “simply put ink pen on the page without pencil outlines first” and then incorporated any “stray ink line into one of the objects” she was drawing!
Autumn Prairie, pen and ink, copyright Nancy Kolar.
A former president of the GNSI, Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, and current vice-president of the ASBA, American Society of Botanical Artists, Suzanne Wegener is a master at capturing the nuances of nature in graphite. She will be sharing her knowledge in Nature In Graphite, a four-evening class at The Morton Arboretum, beginning on Wednesday, July 10, 2019.
This class is open to anyone interested in improving their drawing skills, but some previous drawing experience is beneficial. Participants do not need to be members of The Morton Arboretum or the Nature Artists’ Guild, but there is a discounted enrollment fee for Arboretum members.
Please click on the image or the above highlighted link for more information. Prompt registration is encouraged as class size is limited.
Yay! Spring is finally here, and a great way to celebrate is to visit The Morton Arboretum on the weekend of April 6th and 7th, 2019. There will be plenty to enjoy outdoors, of course, but it is also the weekend of the 2019 Spring Exhibit of Natural History Art, featuring nearly 150 works of nature art by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum. Please read more by clicking hereor on the above highlighted link.
Here is just a small sample of the artwork in the exhibit. Thank you to all of the artists who contributed to this preview.
During the Nature Artists’ Guild’s Spring 2019 Exhibit of Natural History Art, visitors will have the opportunity to watch, speak with, and ask questions of talented artists working in a variety of media in addition to enjoying the nearly 150 works of art on display.
On Friday evening, April 5, 2019, during the Artists’ Reception for members of The Morton Arboretum and guests of the artists, Ku-mie Kim will be sharing watercolor techniques from 5 until 7:30 pm.
The 2019 Spring Exhibit of Natural History Art featuring approximately 150 works of art by nearly 50 members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum is only a few weeks away. The exhibit will be held in the Cudahy Room of the Administration (and Library) building at the Arboretum on the weekend of April 6 and 7, 2019. An Artists’ Reception for members of the Arboretum and guests of the artists will be held on the evening of April 5, 2019.
Coming soon – some of the artists will be sharing a preview of their work!
The poster and postcards for the 2019 Spring Exhibit of Natural History Art featuring the artwork of Karen Johnson and designed by Evelyn Grala are ready! Anyone who would like posters to display or postcards to share can pick some up at the Nature Artists’ Guild program on Thursday, March 7, 2019, or at Megan Dunning’s office in the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum during regular business hours.
Nature Artist’s Guild members will soon receive digital copies of the postcard in their e-mail, and are encouraged to share them with friends and family!
Nature Artists’ Guild 2019 Spring Exhibit poster. Poster artwork by Featured Artist Karen Johnson. Poster design by Evelyn Grala.
Please visit this website’s Featured Artist page to learn more about Karen Johnson and to view some of her lovely artwork. Also worth visiting is Karen’s personal blog, Karen’s Nature Art, a fascinating collection of her thoughts, sketches, and photographs of the time she spends in nature.
Nature Artists' Guild 