Category: Member News

Braving the Weather

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Those members who braved the weather last evening to attend the program featuring artist Scott Harding were treated to a wonderful demonstration! Scott began an oil painting one of the most recognized (and hugged) trees of The Morton Arboretum, and we all were able to watch the painting transform before our very eyes.   Scott has promised to send a photograph of the finished painting, and we will post it when he does.  Below are a few photographs from the evening, taken by our Nature Artists’ Guild photographer, Kathy Wagner.

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While you’re here, please check out our Member News page (click on the tab at the top of your screen).  We can all be proud of (and inspired by) being part of such an ambitious and talented group of artists!

Upcoming events for the Nature Artists’ Guild include an exhibit at the Fine Line Creative Arts Center (prospectus due by February 22, 2013), the Spring Exhibition at The Morton Arboretum (prospectus due by February 23, 2013), a paint-out at Orchids by Hausermann on February 12, 2013 (contact Carol Jean Rogalski to RSVP), and  heading into early March, a program featuring Carol Jean Rogalski and the art of Illumination (March 07, 2013) and a paint-out at the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum  on March 12, 2013 (more details to come very soon).

Some Wonderful Member News!

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Member Carol Jean Rogalski would like to share the wonderful news –

Some of the Nature Artists’ Guild members have formed a local group in Long Grove. This group is titled the Reed-Turner Woodland Botanical Artists’ Circle.  This group is a Midwestern affiliate of the American Society of Botanical Artists, and it provides interaction and support among artists with similar interests.  The following members –

Fran Kelly, Kumie Kim, Eileen LaBarre, Barbara Papamarcos, Lynne Railsback, Carol Jean Rogalski, and Carla Schmakel

will be participating in Drawn to Nature II, an exhibition at Brushwood Gallery, in the Ryerson Conservation Center .  The opening reception will be on Sunday, March 3 from 1 to 3 pm, and all are invited.  In this exhibition the artists seek to further the interests of conservation science, botany and horticulture, and to represent the beauty of plants in our lives.

For further information, including directions to Ryerson Conservation Center and the Brushwood Gallery in Deerfield, see the website www.ryersonwoods.org

Nature Artists’ Guild Member Don Castro’s Retrospective at the Burning Bush Gallery

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One of the biggest perks of being a member of the Nature Artists’ Guild is the support of your fellow members.   Whether you are exhibiting for the first time, or the hundredth, it’s always great to see a few familiar smiling faces of fellow Nature Artists’ Guild members at your reception!

Who could be more deserving of our support than 22-year member, and Holiday Party “Master of Ceremonies”, Don Castro?  Don not only shows up every December to swear in our officers, make us laugh, and hand out prizes, but has also contributed so much of his time and talents to the Nature Artists’ Guild over the years.

The Artists’ Reception for Don’s upcoming Retrospective at the Burning Bush Art Gallery in Wheaton, IL is coming up on January 20th from 1 until 4 pm (details below).  What a great chance to admire some of Don’s best work all in one place, and show your appreciation for all of his contributions to the Nature Artists’ Guild!

Courtesy of Burning Bush Gallery
Courtesy of Burning Bush Art Gallery

Artists Reception: Sunday, January 20, 1:00 – 4:00 pm

Gallery Hours: Sundays: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm,

Wednesdays: 5:30 – 7:00 pm, Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, or by appointment (708) 705-8669.

216 North Main Street, Wheaton IL

 

“Seeding the Snow” features Nature Artists’ Guild Members’ Artwork

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Congratulations to Nature Artists’ Guild members Connie Devendorf, Linn Eldred, and Evelyn Grala for the inclusion of their photography and artwork in the Fall and Winter 2012 issue of the periodical Seeding The Snow.  The issue features Evelyn’s pen and ink drawing, Owl, on the cover, and Connie’s photo, Setting Seeds, her watercolor, Wrens, and Linn’s pen and ink drawings, Scrub Pine and Goatsbeard are featured within.

By Permission of Seeding the Snow
By Permission of Seeding the Snow

To read more about Seeding the Snow, or to order your copy, please click here. Copies are also usually available for purchase at the Arboretum gift shop, The Arboretum Store (hours and information available by clicking here).

Time to Renew

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Your Nature Artists’ Guild Membership dues bring you so much – opportunities to participate in some of the best art exhibits in the area,  fun paint-outs and workshops with your fellow members, wonderful programs featuring top artists, and a subscription to our members’ only publication, the Nature Artist’s Quarterly.  As if you needed more convincing, don’t forget that all of this takes place at the beautiful and inspiring Morton Arboretum!

Winter at Thornhill © Laverne Bohlin

Please don’t forget to renew your membership by the end of the year.  You can bring your dues to the Holiday Party, or send a check for $45, payable to the Nature Artists’ Guild to –

Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, IL  60532-1293.

If you’re not a member yet, but considering joining, we welcome you to fill out the membership application (click on the tab above), and send it along with your dues to the above address.  You are always invited to attend a program as our guest, but we think you’ll find the benefits of membership make it well worth joining.

Nature Artists’ Guild Prepares for a Busy Autumn!

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This cooler weather (finally) reminds us that autumn is right around the corner, and it will be a busy season for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild!

In the next few weeks and months, there will be an exciting new paint-out opportunity (The Beard Garden),  instructions will be sent out for participating in the 2013 Nature Artists’ Guild calendar project, a workshop has been scheduled for our Holiday Exhibit fundraising, and not too far off, is our popular Holiday Exhibit itself!  Featured at this exhibit will be the wonderful artist and one of our hardest working guild members, Nancy Thyfault.

Check back soon for more about all of these upcoming events, and to read about Nancy and see some of her beautiful artwork!

THE ILLUSTRATOR’S EYE: An Exhibit Of Works by Nancy Halliday

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You may know Nancy Halliday as a talented Nature Artists’ Guild Charter Member, or you may know her as a favorite Morton Arboretum Botanical Art instructor.   Now you can learn even more about Nancy and enjoy seeing her artwork at a special exhibit!

Almost thirty of Nancy’s works are currently being featured in one-woman exhibit at the Glenview Public Library,  1930 Glenview Road, Glenview, IL 60025.    Library hours are Monday-Friday, 9 am-9 pm,  Saturday 9-5, and  Sunday 1-5.  The exhibit will be up through April 29, 2012, and Nancy will be giving a gallery talk on Tuesday, April 24th, at 6:30 p.m.  

The library introduces Nancy’s exhibit with the following –  “With university degrees in biological sciences and environmental studies, a natural ability to draw, and a keen eye for detail, Glenview resident Nancy Halliday carved a successful career in scientific illustration. This fascinating exhibit will draw you into nature—creatures large and small, botanical studies, and a few examples of Nancy’s artwork painted simply for pleasure.”

You can read more about Nancy and see a beautiful example of her talents at the website of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators (GNSI).

Spring!

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Yes, it may be a bit early to declare Spring, but our new header image sure puts us in the spirit!  This sweet detail from the watercolor Sweet Violets, was contributed by our featured artist of the upcoming 2012 Spring Exhibition of the Nature Artists’ Guild, Margo Heald.  You can view the entire painting, read all about Margo and see more of her beautiful artwork by clicking on the Our Current Featured Artist tab above.

Iris © Margo Heald

Welcome new Nature Artists’ Guild Members!

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We are thrilled you decided to join us!  There are quite a few new members in 2012, and we are so happy to have you all.  We sincerely hope that you will find the Nature Artists’ Guild to be a supportive, friendly, informative and fun group to be a part of.

Please make sure to take advantage of all that the Nature Artists’ Guild has to offer!  From our top-notch exhibitions at The Morton Arboretum and other venues, to our paint-outs at some really interesting and beautiful places (and we’re always adding more), to our formal programs featuring some of the best artists around, and even to our fun fund-raising workshops, we like to think we have something to offer all of our members.

We hope that our atmosphere of non-competitive support goes a long way towards ensuring that all artists, from the newest beginners to the most seasoned professionals, feel welcome.  Please join us at the next meeting or send in your prospectus for the Spring Exhibition!  We look forward to getting to know you!

If you ever have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact any of the committee or board members.

Welcoming 2012!

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The Nature Artists’ Guild schedule next year will include some new paint-out locations (the first being Wheaton College’s Science building in January), some old favorites (Hausermann’s Orchids in February) and as always, some of the best artist presentations in the area (renowned colored pencil artist Cynthia Hellyer-Heinz will be featured at our February meeting).   Details will be posted soon, or you can check  your Winter Quarterly for the dates and times.

Although the Nature Artists’ Guild accepts membership dues at any time of the year, if you want to ensure that you are included in our Yearbook and that you won’t miss any issues of The Quarterly, please renew your membership by sending in your check and the renewal coupon from your latest Quarterly by December 31, 2011.