Category: Programs

From Colored Pencil to Scratchboard, Rhonda Nass this Thursday, February 6, 2025

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The Extraordinary Ordinary, scratchboard, copyright Rhonda Nass

The Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum is proud to sponsor an online presentation by Rhonda Nass on the evening of February 6, 2025 at 7.

Rhonda will discuss her signature artistic stroke and how that same stroke, used in her glowing colored pencil drawings, can also be used to create detail and drama with scratchboard. “The same airplane stroke many of us have used in applying colored pencil transitions seamlessly to scratchboard with almost no learning curve, so we can speed past much of the training in the basics of scratchboard.”

Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild were emailed a link to this free online presentation last week, and visitors can still request a link by contacting the Guild. The program is open to all, but will not be recorded.

Succulent Divine Drama, copyright Rhonda Nass
Yum, A 5-lobed Chocolate Vine, copyright Rhonda Nass

Scratchboard with Rhonda Nass, February 6, 2025

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Abundant Succulents II, copyright Rhonda Nass. Click on the image for more of Rhonda’s work.

The Nature Artists’ Guild is excited to welcome back Rhonda Nass for an online presentation on the evening of Thursday, February 6, 2025.

Many members of the Guild have had the privilege of learning colored pencil or acrylic techniques with beloved instructor and incredible artist Rhonda Nass over the years. Rhonda has expanded her expertise to the world of scratchboard, and as with all of her artistic endeavors, brings it to an extraordinary level.

On the evening of Thursday, February 6, 2025, beginning at 7, Rhonda will give an online presentation to the Nature Artists’ Guild and guests. While sharing techniques, preferred materials, and inspirations for using scratchboard, Rhonda will also discuss how her experiences with colored pencil influence the work.

All are invited to attend this free online presentation sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum! Members of the Guild will receive an email link approximately one week before the presentation, and guests and visitors can request a link by contacting the Guild.

Beginning 2025 with a Nature Artists’ Guild Exhibit and Much More

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Aphrodite Sweetshrub, copyright Arlene Widrevitz, will be one of many works of art celebrating nature at a special exhibit at the Downers Grove Library this January.

The year begins with a special exhibit and quickly jumps right into exciting paint-outs, programs, and other ways for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild to celebrate and share the beauty of nature throughout winter.

  • The Nature Artists’ Guild’s annual exhibit at the Downers Grove Library opens in just three days, on Tuesday, January 7 during normal library hours. Guild members’ artwork will complement the library’s permanent collection throughout library exhibit spaces for all to enjoy through February 4, 2025.
  • A paint-out at the Field Museum has been scheduled for January 18. Guild members will join members of the Artists at the field group in sketching some of the wonders of the natural world. Much more about this event will be emailed to Guild members soon.
  • On February 6, the Guild welcomes talented artist and beloved instructor Rhonda Nass for an online presentation about her experiences with scratchboard and colored pencil. Guild members will be emailed a link for attending the presentation. More details will be coming soon, including instructions for non-members to attend.
  • Also on February 6, Guild artists can leave the winter behind for a few hours at Orchids by Hausermann. This paint-out starts in the early hours, but the thousands of orchids and balmy conditions in the greenhouse of Hausermann’s make it worth setting the alarm. More details and a form to register online will be available soon.
  • It’s time to begin thinking of Spring! Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild who have news, articles, or artwork for the Spring edition of the Quarterly must submit them no later than February 1, 2025. An email with instructions for submission will be sent to all members in coming weeks.
  • The theme for the Guild’s annual 8 x 8 project, in which members create small works of art honoring The Morton Arboretum, will be announced soon for those who want to get an early start! The artwork will be exhibited alongside the Guild’s annual Autumn Exhibit at the Arboretum in November.
Click here for information about new memberships or renewals for 2025

Looking Back at 2024 with the Nature Artists’ Guild

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Click on image for a sample of images and list of posts from 2024.

2024 was filled with programs and paint-outs, exhibits and demonstrations, gatherings and artwork, and friendship and fun for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum.

The Guild is hoping to welcome back all of its current members, as well as new ones, for even more in 2025. (Memberships are for the calendar year, so joining or renewing by January 1 ensures receiving all the benefits for the year.)

Please enjoy this small sample of images from 2024 (or scroll through the website or visit the Member Artwork pages for many more).

  • Downers Grove Library exhibit 2024
  • Diamonds of Winter detail, Dale Olsen
  • Field Museum paint-out
  • Field Museum paint-out
  • Claudia Lane presentation
  • Orchids by Hausermann paint-out
  • Great Horned Owl, copyright Lindsay Sandbothe
  • Spring Exhibit poster 2024
  • Rachel Davis presentation
  • Jurica-Suchy Museum paint-out
  • Goldfinch, copyright Lindsay Sandbothe
  • Rachel Davis presentation
  • Spring exhibit demo
  • Spring exhibit demo
  • Spring exhibit demo
  • Spring exhibit demo
  • Spring exhibit demo
  • Jewels of Spring, copyright Beth Berry
  • Wild Bergamot, copyright Lisa Kanellos
  • Spring 2024 Artists’ Card Collection
  • Daffodil Glade, copyright Yvonne Buckley
  • Lilacia Park paint-out
  • Aurora Public Art exhibit postcard
  • Lilacia Park paint-out
  • Cicada pendant detail, copyright Karen A Johnson
  • Ink demonstration, Nancy Wu
  • Glazing demonstration by Dale Olsen
  • Aurora Public Art exhibit
  • Private Garden paint-out
  • Anderson Japanese Gardens paint-out
  • Nature Journal Pages class by Sandra Wilcoxon
  • Grand Garden paint-out
  • Wine and Art Walk
  • Autumn Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum poster
  • Cantigny paint-out
  • Presentation by Don Widmer
  • Presentation by Don Widmer
  • Autumn events montage
  • Morning Light 3, copyright Dale Olsen
  • Trees exhibit
  • Trees at Sunset, copyright Marlene Vitek
  • Three Fall Maples, copyright Maggie Capettini
  • Autumn Exhibit demonstration
  • Autumn Exhibit demonstration
  • Autumn Exhibit demonstration
  • Autumn Exhibit demonstration
  • Autumn Exhibit demonstration
  • Yellowstone Tree Root detail, copyright Jeffrey Zawada
  • Card Exchange
  • 2024 Holiday Card, copyright Suzanne Wegener
  • 2024 Holiday Card, copyright Celia Rodee

The Latest for the Nature Artists’ Guild

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Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild have so much to do this Autumn! Here is a quick reminder about some upcoming events and deadlines –

  • On Wednesday, October 2, members of the Guild will meet at the gardens of Cantigny Park for the last paint-out of the season from 9:30 until noon. Registration is recommended, but drop-ins are also welcome.
  • All are invited to the October 3, 2024 presentation sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild at The Morton Arboretum from 7 until 9 pm. Artist Don Widmer will be sharing some of his techniques for creating textural art using paper pulp. There will be no charge to attend this presentation.
  • Guild members who would like to contribute to the gift baskets to be raffled at the upcoming 2024 Autumn Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum can drop off items at the October 3 meeting. An email was recently sent to members with all the details.
  • Nature Artists’ Guild members who are interested in learning more about next year’s open volunteer positions can speak with current volunteers at the October 3rd meeting after the presentation is over (the attendant at the welcome table can steer members to the appropriate person to answer their questions).
  • Also coming soon – artwork by the 2024 Autumn Exhibit Featured Artist, Dale Olsen, as well as many more of the exhibitors. Details for contributing images will be emailed to all exhibiting artists soon.

Don Widmer and the Art of Pulp Painting at The Morton Arboretum on October 3, 3024

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Detail of Happy Friend, copyright Don Widmer. Click on image for more.

Book and paper artist Don Widmer will share inspirations and techniques for depicting nature and other subjects using “detailed pulp painting with numerous layers of stenciled pulp” at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum on October 3, 2024 from 7 until 9 pm.

Book and paper artist Don Widmer’s widely collected and exhibited work began as mostly monochromatic pieces. He credits birds as his inspiration to begin adding color to his work. “One day several years ago I got invited to exhibit at an Audubon art show in Madison, Wisconsin. I had never pulp painted a bird up to that point so I decided to give it a try. … I slowly expanded my color palette. The male grackle, for example, has tones of iridescent purple and blue. When I finally got to a cardinal, I knew I was on my way to embracing color.” Don also appreciates the way that the “feathery edges of handmade paper and the fibrous quality of pulp” complement his bird images.

All are invited to this presentation sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum. There will be no Guild or Arboretum membership requirement for entry to this event, and admission and parking are free of charge. Visitors can let the gate attendant at the Arboretum know they are there for the program to be admitted and directed to Thornhill. Plenty of seating and light refreshments will be available.

A Busy Season for the Nature Artists’ Guild

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2024 Nature Artists’ Guild’s Autumn Exhibit Poster. Poster artwork by Dale Olsen, poster design by Jane Kellenberger. Copies of the exhibit poster and postcard will be available at the October 3 meeting of the Nature Artists’ Guild at the Thornhill Education Center.

What a busy season for the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum!

  • The Guild paint-out at the lovely gardens of Cantigny Park will be the last of the year. Members can register in advance to be placed on an email list for updates, or just drop-in on the morning of October 2, 2024 after 9:30. More about this paint-out coming soon.
  • The Nature Artists’ Guild is excited to announce that the speaker for the October 3, 2024 meeting will be paper artist Don Widmer. The meeting will be open to all, free of charge, at 7 pm at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum. More to come about Don and his work.
  • Guild members and guests are always welcome to stop by the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum (near the cafe) to chat, sketch, or just enjoy a quiet morning with fellow artists any Wednesday between 9 and 11 at a Coffee and Art gathering.
  • Finally, the Nature Artists’ Guild is looking for a few volunteers for positions opening soon. The Social Committee will need a new chairperson for next year, as well as assistance this year in planning and managing the annual holiday party. The Outside Exhibits Committee will also need two new co-chairpersons, who would begin late this year by helping to plan the January 2025 exhibit at the Downers Grove Library, and continue throughout next year. Volunteers for either position will work alongside current committee members until comfortable working independently. For more information, click on the links above for position descriptions or click here to have a board member contact you.

Meteorological Autumn 2024 for the Nature Artists’ Guild

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Autumn, Sterling Pond, copyright Dale Olsen. Dale will be the Featured Artist for the Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2024 Autumn Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum.

Today’s beginning of meteorological autumn brings more than just a new tongue-twisting term for the Nature Artists’ Guild. It also brings opportunities for creating, exhibiting, and sharing artwork that celebrates the season. Here are a few coming up –

  • The prospectus for the 2024 Autumn Exhibit of Nature Art at The Morton Arboretum will be emailed to all Guild members within the next few days. (There is still time to join the Nature Artists’ Guild and receive a prospectus!) Much more about the exhibit coming soon.
  • The Autumn Quarterly, featuring artwork, photos, and news about and by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will be arriving in members’ mailboxes soon, just in time to enjoy along with a favorite beverage and some wonderful weather.
  • The final paint-outs of the year are in September and October. A paint-out at the Grand Garden of The Morton Arboretum is scheduled for the morning of Thursday, September 5, 2024. Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are invited to drop by and even bring a friend or two to this paint-out (applicable Arboretum entrance fees will apply). Registration is recommended, but not required. (October’s paint-out will take place at the always-lovely gardens of Cantigny Park – more details in coming weeks.)

Reminders for the Nature Artists’ Guild

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Detail of Summer Daydream, fiber art, copyright Patty Koenigsaecker

Some reminders for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum as August 2024 begins –

  • Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild who would like to share articles or images of their autumn-inspired artwork in the members-only publication, the Quarterly, should forward them to Jane Kellenberger by August 1, 2024. Guild members recently received an email with details and an email address for submitting.

Kristina Knowski’s Avifauna Watercolors August 1, 2024

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To Sleep, copyright Kristina Knowski. Click on image to learn more.

The Nature Artists’ Guild is proud to sponsor a presentation featuring Kristina Knowski and her ‘Avifauna Watercolors’ at The Morton Arboretum on Thursday, August 1, 2024 from 7 to 9 pm.

Kristina is a watercolorist depicting primarily avifauna and is best known for her portfolio of extinct bird species. She enjoys using observation, anatomical references, and specimens to examine these species with an acute attention to detail.

As an avid birder, Kristina prefers to work from life and spends most of her time sketching and researching species in the field. In working with extinct species, she visits the Bird Collections of the Field Museum and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum to study from skins. – KristinaKnowski.com

This presentation will be free and open to all. There will be no charge for attendance, parking, or admission to The Morton Arboretum for this event. Registration is not required, and attendees can let the gate attendant at the Arboretum know they are there for the presentation to be admitted and directed to their Thornhill Education Center. Plenty of parking and seating will be available.