Jane Kellenberger, Autumn 2019

I discovered art classes at the Morton Arboretum after a career in engineering. At first it was just a way to get out of the house one night a week, but I enjoyed learning about art so much that I joined the Nature Artist Guild and, after many years, completed the Arboretum’s Botanical Art Certificate. Much of my work is inspired by my ever changing garden as well as the geometry of composition. I am still exploring the possibilities of new media and have worked in graphite, ink, charcoal, colored pencil, watercolor, pastel and most recently, woodblock printing. I enjoy the endless mutability of graphite and charcoal, the graphic strength of ink and woodblock prints, subtle color effects from layering color pencil or watercolor, and the intense, vibrant color of soft pastels.

I’ve enjoyed serving in the past as Paint Outs and Programs Chair, as it has introduced me to many interesting artists both in and out of the Guild. In addition to the Nature Artists Guild, I am a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists and the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators. When I’m not creating art, I enjoy spending time in my garden, bicycling on the Prairie Path, traveling, and learning new programming languages. I’m honored to be chosen as the featured artist and am thankful for the friendships and encouragement our nature art community has given me.