Color pencil on slate tile, copyright Mary Ann Jimenez
At a free workshop for Nature Artists’ Guild members, Mary Ann Jimenez will share techniques for creating stunning but subtle works of art on slate tiles using color pencils. The workshop will be held at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum on Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 10 am until 2 pm.
Blank slate tiles will be provided free of charge to members to complete at the workshop or take with them for further work. The completed pieces will be for sale at the 2022 Autumn Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum in November with all proceeds benefitting the Nature Artists’ Guild.
Interested members can contact Mary Ann Jimenez to register for the workshop. Her contact information and a supply list were emailed to members on August 3.
Note: 8 x 8 canvases, boards, or papers for the Schulenberg Prairie anniversary project will also be available at the workshop for members to pick up. Supplies of certain surfaces may be limited, so members are encouraged to contact Carol Balabanow for further information.
Garden at Cantigny Park. Photo credit Jane Kellenberger.
This Wednesday, September 7, 2022, the Nature Artists’ Guild’s paint-out at the gardens of Cantigny Park will take place from 9 am until noon. While members are encouraged to let Linn Eldred know they are attending, drop-ins are also welcome. The gardens and grounds at Cantigny Park are always wonderful and this year there is the added bonus of an exhibit of colorful large-scale sculptures by artists from Mexico City. Parking and admission will be free.
(Boards, canvases, or papers for the Schulenberg Praire anniversary project will be available at this paint-out if a request is made in advance to Carol Balabanow.)
Note – The weekly Art and Coffee gathering will not take place on this date.
Also coming soon –
On September 24, 2022 from 10 to 2, members can attend a volunteer workshop at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum to learn how to create artwork using color pencils on slate tiles. The tiles will be sold at the upcoming Autumn Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum with proceeds benefitting the guild. Tiles will be provided, but participants are asked to bring a few other supplies (details are in the August 3rd email sent to members.)
On October 6, 2022at 7 pm, Artist and Illustrator Kelley Cappell will share some of her experiences, inspirations, and techniques with the audience at the Thornhill Education Center. This program will be open to the public, free of charge. More about Kelley and her art coming soon.
October 10, 2022 will be the final date for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild to mail their completed prospectuses for participating in the Autumn Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum in November. The link to the prospectus was emailed to all members on August 31. Much more about the exhibit and the Featured Artist, Alice Wych, to come.
Nature Artists’ Guild members who would like to participate in the Schulenberg Prairie anniversary project can still pick up an 8 x 8 canvas, board, or paper at any of the in-person guild events (including by request at the Cantigny paint-out and excluding the Wednesday Coffee and Art gatherings.) Members can also use their own surface, but the final artwork must be exactly 8 x 8 inches (and less than approximately a half inch deep) to fit into the display. Questions about the project can be emailed to Carol Balabanow.
Coming up in March for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild –
Eastern Towhee, copyright Alex Warnick. Used with permission.
Monday, March 2, 2020 is the last day for members to mail their completed prospectuses for the 2020 Spring Exhibit of Natural History Art. The link for the prospectus was sent out to all members by e-mail last month. New members, please don’t hesitate to participate. The Guild is a supportive, non-competitive organization that values the contributions of nature artists at all skill levels. Beginners to professionals, we welcome you all!
Thursday, March 5, 2020 is the date of a very special program sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum from 7 until 9 pm. Visiting ArtistAlex Warnick will be sharing some thoughts about her exquisite paintings and illustrations of birds and her adventures in birding. This event is open to all and free-of-charge. Members are encouraged to invite their fellow artists, birders, and nature lovers to this presentation. Details are in this previous post.
On Saturday, March 7, 2020 a repeat of last month’s Round Table Paint-In event will take place at Thornhill beginning at 1 pm. Members should contact Linn Eldred if they’d like to participate. Linn’s contact information is included in the February 19 e-mail sent to members. All supplies will be provided, and there is no cost to attend this fun and creative event.
A fundraising workshop has been scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2020 at the Thornhill Education Center. Supplies will be provided for Nature Artists’ Guild members who wish to participate by painting canvases to be sold at the Spring Exhibit as a fundraiser. Fundraising workshops are a great place to get to know and enjoy some time with fellow Guild members. Update – This event has been postponed until a date to be determined.
Fellow artists will be sharing their skills in nature printing, collage, colored pencil, pen and ink, painting, staining and much more. Some supplies will be available, but artists are also encouraged to bring a few of their own. Wood will be provided.
All proceeds from the fundraising will be used to support the Nature Artists’ Guild. This event is for members only, and will meet at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum.
One of the earliest signs of the season is the announcement of the annual Nature Artists’ Guild’s Spring Exhibition of Natural History Art at The Morton Arboretum! The dates of the exhibition are April 6 and 7, 2019 (with a reception for guests of the artists as well as members of the Arboretum on the evening of Friday, April 5, 2019).
There will be much more information about this exhibit and its Featured Artist, Karen Johnson, to come in the next few weeks.
Brought to Life, Leadwort, Acrylic, Copyright Karen A. Johnson. Please click on the image to view Karen’s blog, Karen’s Nature Art.
For now, this is a reminder to participating artists that completed prospectuses should be mailed on or before Monday, March 4, 2019. The prospectus form and instructions were e-mailed to eligible Guild members on February 4, 2019. Members can contact Alice Wych (whose contact information can be found in the Nature Artists’ Guild Yearbook) for any questions.
Also, the fundraising workshops are back! On Wednesday, February 27 at 1:30 pm, at the Thornhill Education Center of the Arboretum, Pat Mroczka will be hosting a member’s workshop for painting rocks or small canvases to be sold at the Spring Exhibition. This casual workshop is a fun way to get to know other artists and possibly learn a new skill or pick up some tips. Rocks and canvases will be provided, but participants are asked to bring their own paints and brushes (acrylic paint and synthetic brushes are recommended for painting the rocks). Those members who would prefer to just stop by and pick up a rock or canvas to work on at home are welcome to.
Why not a few resolutions for 2019 that are enjoyable and easy to keep? Here are a few for artists at every skill level –
Learn new art techniques and methods from renowned artists from the local area as well as from across the country (and occasionally around the world)
Participate in wonderful and well-attended exhibitions at The Morton Arboretum and other venues
Attend paint-outs with fellow artists, often at locations only accessible as part of an artist’s group
Pick up tips and inspiration from artists who are also interested in nature, but whose work varies widely in style, specific subject matter, and technique
Nature Artists’ Guild at Orchids by Hausermann, an annual winter paint-out location.
2019 could be the year to increase artistic skills, learn a new technique, exhibit for the first (or 100th) time, or just have many opportunities to learn from and gain inspiration from fellow artists, all while having fun and enjoying the natural world. Becoming a member of (or renewing membership to) the Nature Artists’ Guild will make it much easier to keep those resolutions!
Please click on this link to the Membership Brochure to learn more. Membership in the Nature Artists’ Guild does not require membership at The Morton Arboretum. A preview of some of the planned events for 2019 will be coming soon.
Autumn on The Eastside, copyright Pamela Hamilton. Used with permission. Please click on image to read more about Pamela and to view more images of her work.
In addition,
Attendees will be invited to take and share some posters and postcards for the upcoming 2018 Holiday (Autumn) Exhibition of Natural History Artat The Morton Arboretum. The posters and postcards, designed by Evelyn Grala, will feature the work of the show’s Featured Artist, Gary Chipman. More on Gary and the exhibit to come soon.
Guild members will have the opportunity to pick up a few blank small canvases to finish in time for fundraising at the exhibit.
Those Guild members who participated in the 2018 Summer Sketchbook Encounter are invited to share their accomplishments in a display of sketchbooks at the meeting.
Prospective future Guild members are invited to attend for an anonymous and pressure-free glimpse into the dynamics of the group to see whether it would be a good fit for their interests. Guild members will be available for questions, and there will be one-year “membership scholarship” application forms available.
As always, there will be light refreshments as well, in the setting of a historic building at the renowned Morton Arboretum, all free-of-charge for anyone who wishes to attend. Visitors should let the gate attendant know they are there for the Nature Artists’ Guild program for free admission and to be directed to Thornhill.
Please click on any of the highlighted links or on the images for more information.
Goldfinch II , copyright Pamela Hamilton. Used with permission.
Thursday’s program will feature three Nature Artists’ Guild members sharing techniques and tips for creating art in some unique and beautiful ways.
Spring, At Last, copyright Catherine Stacy.
Polar Vortex Landscape, copyright Marilyn Peretti.
Retreating Glacier, copyright Joe Rizzo.
All are invited to attend this program and can read more about it and view complete versions of the above artwork by clicking here.
In addition to the program, Guild members will be able to pick up some blank canvases for a fundraiser for the 2018 Autumn (Holiday) Exhibition of Natural History Art. The 3 x 3 inch canvases can be painted, collaged, or drawn on, and the finished works of art will be sold at the upcoming exhibit in November.
Nature Artists’ Guild 2018 Fundraiser. Examples of finished canvases by Laurie Freeman, Carol Puotinen, and Catherine Stacy.
The small size and reasonable price ($5 each) will make it possible for almost any exhibit attendee to bring home an original work of art to display, use as an ornament, or give as a gift. Blank canvases will also be available to pick up at the October meeting, but must be completed and returned on or before the exhibit drop-off (referee) evening of October 31, 2018. Questions about this fundraiser can be answered by Catherine Stacy, whose contact information is in the Yearbook.
More information about the exhibit will be coming soon!
Here are just a few of the many reasons to attend tonight’s Nature Artists’ Guild program from 7 until 9 pm at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum –
Dale Olsen’s Landscapes. Once you’ve seen Dale’s landscapes online, you will very likely want to see them in person as well. As gorgeous as they are in photographs, the actual paintings will be even more so! Here’s an opportunity to see them up close and learn about Dale’s methods and inspirations.
Mirror, copyright Dale Olsen. Used with permission.
Postcards and Posters. Members and guests are encouraged to take some posters and postcards for the Spring Exhibition of Natural History Art taking place on the weekend of April 7 and 8, 2018, share them with friends and family, and post them in local businesses. The postcards will have information about the artists’ reception on Friday evening, April 6, when guests can gain entrance to the Arboretum to attend the exhibit with no gate fee. A digital version will be distributed to members soon.
Diptych Canvases. Members who would like to participate in a fundraising project for the spring exhibit by painting a small diptych can pick up their canvases at the meeting. The finished canvases will be sold at the exhibit and all proceeds will go to the Guild to be used in furthering its mission.
Fall into Winter Artwork. Many of the industrious members of the Nature Artists’ Guild have been busy all fall and winter creating montages from nature. The results are posted here, but members will also be sharing their artwork at tonight’s meeting. It’s a chance to see the details that often make nature art so wonderful.
Copyright Nancy Thyfault.
Fun and Food. As always, there will be snacks, sweets and drinks. There will be some time to chat with friends, old and new. Guests and visitors are welcome to attend, and there is no fee for parking, attendance or admission to The Morton Arboretum for this event. Visitors can let the gate attendant know they are there for the program and they will be directed to Thornhill.
Here are just a few examples of decorative ceramic plates created by members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum at a recent workshop. These unique original plates will sold for $20 each at the upcoming 2017 Nature Artists’ Guild Holiday Exhibition of Natural History Art. Sales will be on a “first-come, first-serve” basis throughout the exhibit, including at the opening reception. No pre-sales can be arranged. All proceeds will go to the Nature Artists’ Guild to be used towards fulfilling their mission.
Please click on the above highlighted links to learn more the Nature Artists’ Guild, the workshop, and the exhibit. Thank you to Arlene Widrevitz for the photos.
Nature Artists' Guild 