Creative Cards to Share Some Cheer

A sample of holiday cards from 2022. Please click here or on the image to see the full versions and the artists’ names along with other cards from last year.

A cup of hot cocoa, some holiday music, maybe even a crackling fire (in the fireplace or on a screen) and a few art supplies. What better way to spend an hour or two during the holiday season?

The Nature Artists’ Guild invites all of its members to take some time during this busy season to share their creativity and brighten the day of a fellow artist. The annual Holiday Card Exchange has become a popular Guild tradition, and all that’s required to participate is some paper, an envelope and stamp, and some basic art supplies.

The last day to register for the Holiday Card Exchange is Thursday, December 7, 2023. Members can register online here, by emailing Celia Rodee, or in person at the Holiday Party. On December 8, Celia will email each participant the name and address of their card’s recipient. All cards should be mailed by December 16.

The Nature Artists’ Guild guidelines are somewhat relaxed for this project, but the cards should be original and handmade. Many members photograph or scan their cards before sending and have copies printed to use as their personal greeting cards for friends and family.

  • Blank multi-media cards and envelopes will be available at the Holiday Party for those who prefer to use them.
  • Participants are invited to send a photo or scan of the cards they send and receive to Denise Fisk to share later on this website.
  • For inspiration, following are links to some wonderful cards from previous years: 2022, 2021, 2020.

The Nature Artists’ Guild Begins Celebrating the Season

2023 Nature Artists’ Guild’s Holiday Party Invitation artwork, copyright Margie Navolio

It won’t be long until members of the Nature Artists’ Guild begin celebrating the season at their annual Holiday Party.

On Thursday evening, December 7, 2023, members are invited to share food, fun, and laughter with their fellow artists from 6 to 9 at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum.

Attendees can look forward to the lovely atmosphere of the Arbor Room decorated by volunteers, live music and appetizers in the historic Founder’s Room, a variety of food contributed by members, a raffle of art and nature items, and the delightful company of fellow artists.

Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild were emailed an invitation earlier this month with all the details.

  • Tickets for the raffle will be available at the party by cash or check only.
  • Blank greeting cards will also be available at the party for those who would like to use one for the Guild’s newest tradition, the annual Holiday Card Exchange.

A Peek at December for the Nature Artists’ Guild

Hide and Seek, copyright Jeffrey Zawada

The Nature Artists’ Guild has a busy December ahead, with a party, handmade cards, and the beginning of an exhibit. Here is a quick look –

  • Guild members are invited to attend the annual Holiday Party at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum on the evening of December 7, 2023. Members were recently emailed an invitation with all the details. (Reminder – tickets for the raffle will be available by cash or check only.) Volunteers are already hard at work making preparations for a lovely and enjoyable event!
  • December 7, 2023 will also be the last day for Nature Artists’ Guild members to register to participate in the fun and creative annual tradition of exchanging a handmade holiday card with a fellow artist. Details were emailed earlier this week, and members can complete this form to sign up. For those participants who would like to use them, blank white cards will be available, free of charge, at the Holiday Party. Here is a sample of the cards created for last year’s exchange.

Did you know? If you received this post by email, you can always click on Nature Artists’ Guild at the upper right corner of the email to visit the website, where you can scroll through former posts, use the menu to view member artwork, check the Important Dates page, or use the Search bar to look up a name or keyword.

Exhibit Artwork from the Nature Artists’ Guild

Sparrow, copyright Lisa Kanellos. Click on the image for more than 50 images from the recent exhibit at The Morton Arboretum.

A little bird told us that the 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum, featuring over 200 works of art by more than 60 members of the Guild, was a resounding success (with a little help from the beautiful autumn weather). The Nature Artists’ Guild would like to thank the exhibit coordinators, participating artists, volunteers, demonstrators, Arboretum employees, and visitors who helped to make it so.

Please click here or on the sparrow above to view more than 50 images, along with titles and artists’ names.

Many of these works will also be included in the Guild’s Downers Grove Public Library special exhibit throughout January 2024. More details to come soon.

Click on any image for the full version. Use arrows to scroll through images.

The 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum This Weekend, November 10 – 12

Poster art by Joe Rizzo. Poster design by Jane Kellenberger.

Click on the following links or scroll through the website for –

Artists Creating Art at the 2023 Autumn Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum

The 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit by the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum will open next Friday evening, November 10. The exhibit will feature over 200 works by more than 60 members of the Guild, including many by Featured Artist Joe Rizzo.

Visitors to the exhibit will also have the opportunity to meet and interact with some of the artists as they demonstrate their methods and share inspirations, techniques, and tools.

Friday, November 10, 5 – 7 pm

Dale Olsen, pastels

Palm House, Kew Gardens, Dale Olsen

Saturday, November 11, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Pat Mroczka, watercolor

Dreamy Lillypads, copyright Pat Mroczka

Saturday, November 11, 1 – 3 pm

Michelle Buziak, scratchboard

Lake Sturgeon Adult and Juvenile, copyright Michelle Buziak
Short Eared owl, copyright Michelle Buziak

Sunday, November 12, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Mary Ann Jimenez, silverpoint with powdered pastels

My Favorite Flower, in progress and complete, copyright Mary Ann Jimenez

Sunday, November 12, 1 -3 pm

Linda Hilderbrant, watercolor with colored pencils

Hummingbird (in progress), copyright Linda Hilderbrant

Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2023 Autumn Art Exhibit Preview

Flamboyant Departure, copyright Jeff Walter

Please click on the image above for a closer look (including titles and artist names)at a sample of artwork that will be included in the upcoming 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum from the evening of Friday, November 10 through Sunday, November 12.

The exhibit will showcase over 200 works by more than 60 members of the Nature Artists’ Guild. Many more images of artwork to come (after the exhibit)!

An Invitation to the 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit Reception

Right-click to download the invitation for sharing by email or social media. A copy of the invitation is not required to attend the reception.

All are invited to the reception for the Nature Artists’ Guild 2023 Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum. The reception will take place from 4:30 to 7 pm on Friday, November 10, 2023 at the Cudahy Room (adjacent to the Sterling Morton Library) inside the Administration Building of The Morton Arboretum. In addition to over 200 works of art by more than 60 members of the Nature Artists’ Guild, there will be an art demonstration, raffle and fundraising items, and light refreshments at the reception.

The above invitation can be downloaded to share with friends and family by email or social media by right-clicking on the image. Printed exhibit postcards are also available at the desk in the Visitor Center of The Morton Arboretum while supplies last.

There will no charge for admission to The Morton Arboretum for this event. Admission to the exhibit and parking are also free and no tickets or copies of the invitation are required. Visitors can let the gate attendant at the Arboretum know they are there for the event to be directed to the exhibit location.

The Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2023 Autumn and Winter Card Collections

The Nature Artists’ Guild is excited to present two sets of seasonal greeting cards featuring members’ artwork.

Eight members of the Nature Artists’ Guild graciously agreed to the use of their artwork to create sets of greeting cards to be sold as a fundraiser at the upcoming 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum.

The artwork was chosen from works previously published by the Nature Artists’ Guild on the cover of a Quarterly or Yearbook in recent years. All proceeds from the sale of the cards will be go to the Nature Artists’ Guild to contribute to its mission of exploring and sharing nature through art.

The cards, blank inside, with the artist’s name and the Guild’s logo on the back, will be sold in sets of four (one of each design per set) along with their included envelopes for $10 per set during exhibit hours.

2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit Featured Artist Joe Rizzo

Colorful Ramirezi and Friends, copyright Joe Rizzo

The Nature Artists’ Guild is pleased to announce its Featured Artist for the 2023 Autumn Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum, Joe Rizzo.

Numerous pieces of Joe’s joyous artwork will be exhibited along with up to 200 works by more than 50 fellow Guild members on November 10, 11, and 12, 2023 in the Cudahy Room, adjacent to the Sterling Morton Library.

Much more about the exhibit, including information about demonstrations and samples of member artwork, will be coming throughout the next few weeks.

Examples of Joe’s work, along with some of his artistic experiences and inspirations, can be found on his Featured Artist page of this website.