Category: Member Artwork

Stencils from your own Artwork – Think of the Possibilities!

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Tomorrow, from 10 am to 2 pm, the Nature Artists’ Guild will be hosting one of our two scheduled spring workshops.  Tomorrow’s workshop will focus on creating stencils from your own artwork, which can then be used on almost anything – fabrics, furniture,  walls, you name it!  You should have received an e-mail earlier this week with the supply list.  At first glance, it may look like quite a few items, but if you read it carefully, you probably already have most or all of the supplies.  If you are just interested in making the stencils, and want to do your painting at a different time, you don’t even need to bring the last few items. 

 The workshop will be held in Room A at Thornhill, so please stop in!

Nature Artists’ Guild’s First Paint-Out of 2011

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The first paint-out location of 2011 is an annual favorite, the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum at Benedictine University in Lisle. We will meet on January 15, at 9:30 am, and can stay until about 12:30 pm.  There’s a good reason we keep coming back – this museum is a treasure!

The museum is filled with mounts and skeletons of creatures ranging from birds to elk. Closer than the Field museum for most, and warmer than the zoo in January, this is a great opportunity to get good sketches of almost any animal imaginable! The more than 10,000 specimens are displayed in a few large rooms, and there are usually no other visitors during our paint-outs, so we have plenty of room.  There are a few benches available, but you may want to bring a folding chair so you can move to wherever you find an interesting subject. 

Please let Ku-mie Kim know if you are planning to come, as she will be meeting members there.  It’s fine if you need to be a little late – it’s a casual gathering.  Often some of the participants go out for lunch afterwards, or stay a little later at the museum for some extra time with the animals.

The address is 5700 College Road, Lisle, Birck Hall, 2nd Floor.  For some photos and more information about the museum, please click here. 

Artwork  © Robert Sunyog

Some Reminders for the Coming Weeks

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As busy as you may be at this time of the year, there are just a few more Nature Artists’ Guild events you may still want to work into your schedule –

  • Share a cup of good cheer, and support your fellow artists at the Canterbury Shoppe Nature Artists’ Guild gallery for a “Meet the Artist” open house between 1 and 4 on Saturday, December 11, or at one of the artist demonstrations in December (see schedule here).
  • Don’t forget about the deadline for mailing your prospectus for the Downer’s Grove Library exhibit on December 17! It’s a nice venue for displaying your artwork.  Please contact Paulette if you have misplaced the prospectus that was e-mailed last month.
  • Save the date of January 15th for our popular annual Jurica paint-out.  More details to come!

Come Visit the Nature Artists’ Guild Winter Exhibit at the Canterbury Shoppe!

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Jill, Paulette, and Fran, after much deliberation and re-arranging, have put together a lovely display of the work of the artists participating in the Canterbury Shoppe Winter Exhibit.    Over 40 pieces of outstanding artwork were hung, and numerous plates, boxes, tiles, pendants, cards and ornaments were carefully arranged in our gift section.  Canterbury Shoppe owner Pamela Patton and her staff were helpful and gracious as always, even in the face of our barrage of requests for scissors, ladders, tacks, and picture hangers!

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The Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit area at the Canterbury Shoppe seems ideal for our artwork.  The open area with bamboo floors, high ceilings, cream-colored walls, track-lighting, and even some exposed brick walls all contribute to the “gallery” effect and the location is excellent!

If you happen to be in the Naperville area doing some holiday shopping, be sure to stop in, or even better, stop by our “Meet the Artist” open-house on Saturday, December 11 any time between 1 and 4, or stop by one of our artist demonstrations in December (schedule below).  You may find some unique holiday gifts or be inspired to participate in the upcoming Spring Exhibit!  The Canterbury Shoppe is located at 43 East Jefferson Avenue in Naperville, IL.

 Schedule

  • Denise Fisk – Saturday, December 4, 12 to 2 pm, Acrylic
  • Artists’ Reception Open House, Saturday, December 11, 1 to 4 pm
  • Karen Wahlers,  Sunday, December 12, 12 to 2 pm, China Painting
  • Don Castro, Wednesday, December 15, 1 to 3 pm, Pen and Ink
  • Denise Fisk – Saturday, December 18, 12 to 2 pm, Acrylic and Oil
  • Bob Sunyog, Sunday, December 19, 12 to 2 pm, Wood Burning Art

Nature Artists’ Guild 2011 Calendars Available

Published on by Denise1 Comment

 

In case you didn’t have a chance to purchase the 2011 edition of the popular Nature Artists’ Guild desk calendar at our Holiday Exhibition, or simply want more of them to give as gifts, they are now available at the following locations –

The Arboretum Store (formerly The Ginkgo Shop),   The Morton Arboretum, Lisle,  IL 

The Canterbury Shoppe, 43 East Jefferson Avenue, Naperville, IL

Women Wise Gallery and Gifts, 91 South Rand Road, Lakeview Plaza, Lake Zurich, IL

Graphic designer and guild member Mary Ingels has done a superb job in designing and arranging the calendar, using artwork contributed by NAG artists Laverne Bohlin, Carol Carls, Connie Devendorf, Linn Eldred, Evelyn Grala, Mary Ingels, Karen Johnson, Fran Kelly, Charlotte Doyle Leavitt, Rhonda Nass, Nancy Thyfault, Kathleen Tomasek, Susan Vogel, and Arlene Widrevitz.  All proceeds support the Nature Artists’ Guild. 

 The calendar size is about 4.75″ wide by about 5.75″ tall, so they don’t take up a lot of room, and would fit nicely on a desk or windowsill. 

What a great way to be inspired by your fellow Nature Artists’ Guild  members all year long!

Nature Artists’ Guild Honorary Member Mary Ingels

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Our friend and former guild president Mary Ingels has been made an Honorary Member of the Nature Artists’ Guild in tribute to her many outstanding contributions over the last twelve years.

Wisteria (carbon dust), Mary Ingels

Before moving across the country to embark on her new adventures in the Seattle area earlier this year, Mary served as president of the guild for almost three years and vice- president for one.

A graphic artist as well as fine artist, Mary originated and continues to be instrumental in coordinating and designing our annual Nature Artists’ Guild desk calendar project, one of the guild’s most popular and successful fund-raising endeavors . In just the last few years, Mary took on the challenges of reviewing and updating exhibition requirements, designing and developing (with Sylvia Root Tester) a 20th Anniversary  Nature Artists’ Guild publication, and designing, developing and acting as the main contributor to this blog (to which she continues to contribute, all the way from Washington)!  

Mary joins a short but distinguished list of Honorary Members –  Nature Artists’ Guild founder Nancy Hart (Stieber), Evelyn Grala,  and Bob Sunyog. 

Congratulations Mary, and we look forward to your continued friendship and inspiration– even across the miles!

Congratulations on a Successful Holiday Exhibit!

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Congratulations to all of the Nature Artists’ Guild members who planned, worked at, demonstrated in, contributed to and participated in the 2010 Holiday Exhibit!  The show was a resounding success, with excellent attendance (in spite of the weather and the Bears game on Sunday!)  Over two hundred visitors attended Friday evening’s Artists’ Reception and the show brought in about seven hundred visitors over the course of the weekend, including the press (click here for story)!

 The record number of show participants really contributed to creating an outstanding show, and numerous compliments were received from visitors on the beautiful artwork and the quality of the show presentation.  Our Artisan Shop had a great selection of quality hand-made merchandise, and sales were brisk!

 Special thanks are extended to the exhibit Co-Chairs, Laverne Bohlin and Sharon Malec, our featured artist Susan Vogel, demonstrators Maggie Mardis, Bob Sunyog, Mary Ann Jimenez, Charlotte Doyle Leavitt and Linn Eldred, Publications Chair Evelyn Grala, Artisan Shop Chair Nancy Thyfault, and Evalyn Holy for presenting us with all the delicious food on Friday evening.  

 From Friday evening’s Artists’ Reception  –

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Exciting New Gallery Opportunity for Members

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Our Outside Exhibition Chair, Paulette McDermott announces the following exciting news!

The Nature Artists Guild of the Morton Arboretum gallery at the Canterbury Shoppe

We have been given a wonderful opportunity for our members to exhibit and sell their work at the Canterbury Shoppe in Naperville.  The exhibits are rotated on a seasonal basis.  The first exhibit, Autumn, is up right now through November.  The Winter exhibit, which is open to all of our members, will open December 1st.  We will also have a “Meet the Artist” reception for each rotation.

Remember to get your prospectus for the Winter Exhibit to Paulette McDermott postmarked by November 19, 2010.

If you are looking for an interesting way to spend a beautiful Autumn Sunday, please join us for an afternoon tea and bring your friends and family

        “Meet the Artist” Tea to celebrate the Autumn Exhibit

        Canterbury Shoppe
        43 E. Jefferson
        Naperville, IL

        Sunday, November 7
        2 pm – 5 pm

Note:  Members should have received their prospectus and exhibition details by mail or e-mail on October 16, and revisions on October 28.  If you cannot locate your copy or have any questions, please contact Paulette.

Our 2010 Holiday Exhibition Featured Artist

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Our new blog header features the artwork of Susan Vogel, the featured artist for the Guild’s 2010 Holiday Exhibition at Thornhill Auditorium.

The Exhibition, showcasing the artwork of over fifty Guild members, opens Friday, November 12 with a reception from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm for Arboretum members, Guild members and their guests. The exhibition is open to the public  November 13-14 from Noon to 5:00 p.m.

There is no admission fee for the exhibition; however, non-Arboretum members will need to pay admission to the Arboretum.

About Susan: Following is an article that Susan wrote for the Fall issue of The Nature Artists’ Quarterly:

I grew up in Lisle, IL. I have fond memories of past winters including ice skating on Lake Marmo in the Morton Arboretum and walks through that  snowy wonderland. I was constantly aware of nature. Wild plants and animals were everywhere when I went on outings with my family. When I came home, I would sit by my desk and make pencil drawings of some of the sights I experienced. My mother was an artist and I loved her work. It inspired me. I wanted to be just like her.

It was the comic books and movies by Walt Disney that were my next inspiration. “Bambi” and “Alice in Wonderland were my favorites. I guess I was an ambitious little kid because at the age of eleven I sent Walt Disney a letter and some of my drawings and asked him for a job. Someone very kind answered my letter and suggested that I go to college first.

Art classes weren’t offered at my schools when I was growing up. So when I was of high school age, I rode the train each summer to attend art classes at Lyons Township High School in LaGrange. Later, I attended Northern Illinois University, majoring in art.

Then along came marriage and children with no time for artwork. After a gap of 30+ years, I started classes at College of Dupage, as a beginning art student once more. Their catalog offered botanical art classes at The Morton Arboretum. I love the classes here at the Arboretum, with teachers who actually teach techniques and students who are helpful and supportive. I got my Botanical Art Certificate and when the Master program was offered; I was the first to receive the Botanical Art and Illustration Master’s Studio Certificate.

I prefer working with live specimens of fauna and flora in front of me., but sometimes a photograph has more advantages. I always carry my little digital camera with me and take snapshots of moving subjects, like birds, bugs and other animals.  Originally, I was strictly a botanical artist but I’m branching out in different directions. Maybe I’ll try painting birds. After all, my last name “Vogel” means bird in German.

I joined the Nature Artists’ Guild (NAG) in 2001 and have met many wonderful artists who inspire and challenge my abilities. Thank you all for your support and believing in me.