Category: Other

It’s the time of the year when many reflect on all they are grateful for, and the Nature Artists’ Guild would like to add a few items for consideration –

• The friends and family who support our artistic endeavors
• The time (however little) and space (however small) for creating
• The support and encouragement of other artists who understand the unique challenges involved
• The time and effort of all the volunteers who have kept the Nature Artists’ Guild running so smoothly for so many years
• The Morton Arboretum, for its inspiring natural beauty as well as for providing historic and lovely meeting and exhibit spaces and a quality learning environment

Please feel free to add to the list in the comments below.

Happy Thanksgiving, and don’t forget to give your turkey a nod of respect!

Nature Artists’ Guild member Marilyn Peretti would like to share an article she recently discovered. One of the world’s largest botanical libraries, the LuEsther T. Mertz Library at the New York Botanical Garden, is being digitized and the article contains numerous photos and links that nature artists may find useful and fascinating!

Please click on this link to the article for more information about the Mertz Library or on the highlighted link above for the library website page.

Thanks for sharing, Marilyn!

Just saying, it won’t be long!  Is it time yet to start looking for Snowdrops?

In memory of long-time and much-loved Nature Artists’ Guild member, Barbara Papamarcos, the Nature Artists’ Guild has donated a copy of the wonderful book, The New Sylva, to the Sterling Morton Library at The Morton Arboretum.

According to Nature Artists’ Guild member and Art Collection Assistant of the Sterling Morton Library, Arlene Widrevitz,

The New Sylva was written in part to commemorate the 350th Anniversary of the first Sylva published in 1664 by John Evelyn for the Royal Horticultural Society of London. Gabriel Hemery’s modern version describes trees of Britain and their care and maintenance while looking to a future that still values trees and forests.

Most exciting for members of the Nature Artists’s Guild are the magnificent illustrations  of individual tree landscapes and botanical details of trees by Sarah Simblet .  Simblet was also the author and illustrator of Botany for the Artist. 

This new Sylva is beautifully bound and organized. It is a feast for the eyes and a wonderful argument for the protection and planting of trees. It is a perfect addition to the collections of the Sterling Morton Library.

Information about the book, including photos, information about the authors, reviews and a digital sampler is available by clicking on the following link to the website www.newsylva.com or on the photo below.

At the time of the year when so many are taking time to reflect on gratitude, we at the Nature Artists’ Guild are reminded that we have much to be grateful for–

• We are grateful to all the volunteers who work so hard to ensure that our exhibits, paint-outs, field-trips, programs and publications are enjoyable and successful.
• We are grateful to our artist members who contribute such wonderful artwork to our exhibits and offer so much inspiration and encouragement to their fellow artists.
• We are grateful to the artists’ friends and family members for their help with everything from delivering artwork to exhibits to giving up the spare bedroom for studio space.
• We are grateful to The Morton Arboretum for providing us with the most elegant exhibit and meeting space that we know of,  for the inspiration of the gorgeous grounds, for the excellent instructors in the Education Program, and for the friendly staff who help with everything from holding doors and setting up our meeting space, to promoting our exhibits and programs.
• We are grateful to all of the art and nature lovers who take time out of their busy schedules to attend our exhibits and encourage our artists with their interest and their kind words.

It’s the time of the year for Nature Artists’ Guild members to renew their membership for 2015.  Members can scroll back through previous posts on this blog to get a glimpse of all that membership brings you – programs, paint-outs, exhibit opportunities, publications, fun events, friendship, encouragement and inspiration!  As an added bonus for renewing before December 31, 2014, returning previously-exhibiting members will be eligible to participate in the first exhibit of 2015 at the stately Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook, IL.

Current members can send their dues to our Treasurer, Nancy Wu, whose address can be found in their Yearbook, or can give their dues to Nancy or one of the other Nature Artists’ Guild board members at our upcoming Holiday Exhibit.

New members are always welcome and can click on the tab at the top of the page to access a membership form for more information.