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Coming Soon – Visiting Artist Sasha Viazmensky: Mushrooms in Watercolor

The next artist in The Morton Arboretum’s Visiting Artist Series, Sasha Viazmensky, will be traveling all the way from his home in St. Petersburg, Russia.  Mr. Viazmensky is a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists, and his stunning work appears in public and private collections around the world, including those of the Shirley Sherwood Collection in London, the Komarov Botanical Institute in St. Petersburg and The Morton Arboretum’s Sterling Morton Library.

To me [mushrooms] are flowers of the woods.  I wanted to save that beauty and to share it with the others.

I call my watercolors ‘Portraits of Mushrooms.’ For these portraits, I select not the most typical, but the most pleasant and happy looking individuals. And I paint them life size.

– Sasha Viazmensky

Cortinarius sp., copyright Alexander (Sasha) Viazmensky.  All rights reserved. http://www.alexandermushrooms.com.

There are still a few available openings for Mr. Viazmensky’s three-day workshop taking place at The Morton Arboretum from Friday, November 15 through Sunday, November 17, 2019.  Intermediate and advanced watercolor artists will further their skills through shared insights, their observation of the artist at work, and personal guidance in their own efforts to capture the unique beauty of mushrooms.

Registration is open to all interested watercolor artists. Members of The Morton Arboretum will receive a discount on their enrollment fee.  Nature Artists’ Guild members will receive an additional discount to this workshop, co-sponsored by the Guild, which they can receive by registering by phone and confirming their Guild membership.

Please click on any of the above highlighted links to see more of Sasha’s work, to read more about him, or to learn more about or register for the workshop.

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Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2019 Holiday (Autumn) Exhibit of Natural History Art

All are invited to the Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2019 Holiday (Autumn) Exhibition of Natural History Art at The Morton Arboretum on Saturday, November 9, 2019, and Sunday, November 10, 2019.  There will also be a reception for artists, their guests, and members of The Morton Arboretum on the evening of Friday, November 8, 2019.  The exhibit will showcase nearly 200 wonderful pieces of nature art by Featured Artist Jane Kellenberger and approximately 50 other members of the Nature Artists’ Guild.

Poster art copyright Jane Kellenberger. Poster design by Evelyn Grala.

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The Danada Nature Art Show Celebrates 45 Years

There is still time for nature artists in the Chicagoland area to participate in the 45th Annual Danada Nature Art Show.  This exhibit, which showcases artwork by local artists, will be attended by nearly two thousand visitors over the course of the Fall Festival at Danada weekend, October 11 through 13, 2019.

Artwork must be dropped off and entry forms will be available at Danada House at Danada Forest Preserve in Wheaton, IL on October 7 or October 8, 2019 between 3 and 8 pm. 

Artwork in this exhibit must adhere strictly to a nature theme with no indication of human influence.  Awards and ribbons will be given in numerous categories.  Further details about the show can be obtained by contacting Friends of Danada at info@danadahouse.com or calling one of the numbers listed on their website.

Danada House entrance. Photo credit http://www.danadahouse.com.

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All Aboard the Acorn Express!

Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are invited to join their fellow artists on a ride on The Morton Arboretum’s Acorn Express the morning of Wednesday, October 30, 2019 (exact time to be determined).

Acorn Express tram. Photo credit www. mortonarb.org.

This “one-hour ride winds you through the Arboretum’s woodlands, wetlands, and prairie while listening to a narrated tour.” – mortonarb.org.  While the tour is not considered a paint-out, determined artists could certainly take photos, do a few thumbnail sketches, or jot down some color notes.  Of course, there is also the option of just sitting back and enjoying the wonderful sights, scents, and sounds of nature in autumn.

The Nature Artists’ Guild will cover the cost of the tour for any interested members.  Guests are welcome, but will be responsible for obtaining their own tickets.  Interested Guild members should contact Linn Eldred to reserve a seat on the tram.  Linn’s contact information can be found in the Nature Artists’ Guild Yearbook.  Linn will instruct participants of the exact time of the tour and the meeting spot as soon as those details are finalized, and will communicate any last minute weather-related plan changes if necessary.

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Paint-Out at The Morton Arboretum on October 4, 2019

The Ground Cover Garden at The Morton Arboretum. Photo credit http://www.mortonarb.org.

A living carpet of foliage and flowers graces The Morton Arboretum’s Ground Cover Garden, linking the Visitor Center to the Research Center and the Sterling Morton Library.

The original garden was built in 1938. It is one of the more densely planted and diverse gardens in the Arboretum, with over 350 different plants amid shady, winding paths with strategically placed benches that allow visitors to enjoy a moment of seclusion and tranquility.

The Ground Cover Garden consists of perennial plants and ground covers chosen to complement trees and shrubs, blanketing the ground with a wonderful assortment of attractive flowers and foliage.  – http://www.mortonarb.org

Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are invited to attend a paint-out between 9 am and noon on Friday, October 4, 2019 at the Ground Cover Garden at The Morton Arboretum, where the numerous plants, shrubs, trees, and autumn arrangements will be sure to inspire.  Members should contact Linn Eldred if they have questions or would like to attend.  Linn’s contact information can be found in the Nature Artists’ Guild Yearbook.

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Autumn 2019 Exhibit’s Featured Artist, Jane Kellenberger

The Nature Artists’ Guild is pleased to announce that its 2019 Holiday (Autumn) Exhibit’s Featured Artist is Jane Kellenberger.  Please read more about Jane and enjoy some of her artwork on the Featured Artist page of this website.

The 2019 Holiday (Autumn) Exhibit of Natural History Art will take place on the weekend of November 9 and 10, 2019 at The Morton Arboretum,with a reception on the evening of November 8, 2019 for guests of the artists and Arboretum members.  More than 50 Nature Artists’ Guild members will be participating in this exhibit of nearly 200 pieces of nature art.

More details (and the exhibit poster) coming soon!

More, copyright Jane Kellenberger

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Fall Landscapes in Pastel with Laverne Bohlin in October 2019

Autumn’s Song, pastel, copyright Laverne Bohlin, http://www.lavernebohlin.com. Used with permission.

By the time Laverne Bohlin returns to Illinois and The Morton Arboretum in the first week of October, there will be plenty of views similar to the one she has portrayed in her stunning Autumn’s Song, above.  Autumn is one of the best times of the year for artists to attempt to capture some of the beauty of nature, and Laverne will be sharing some of her techniques for doing so in soft pastel.

On Thursday, October 3, 2019, from 7 to 9 pm, Laverne will give a presentation, sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild, at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum.  Tips, techniques, materials, subject matter and inspirations will be touched upon in the program, and guests will be able to ask questions and get a close-up look at some of Laverne’s luminous artwork. This program is open to all, free-of-charge.  Visitors and guests should let the gate attendant at Arboretum know they are there for the Nature Artists’ Guild meeting to be directed to Thornhill.

Laverne Bohlin’s pastel supplies and pastel painting in progress.

For those who want to learn even more about painting with soft pastels, Laverne will also be teaching a weekend workshop, Fall Landscapes in Pastel, at the Arboretum on Saturday and Sunday, October 5th and 6th, 2019.  The workshop will take place indoors and out, with the changing colors of nature as inspiration.  Beginning and intermediate artists are welcome, but some experience working with pastels would be helpful.  The workshop is open to all interested, and there is no requirement for membership in the Nature Artists’ Guild or The Morton Arboretum, although Arboretum members will receive a discounted registration fee.  Please click on the above image or highlighted link for more details, to review the supply list, or to enroll in the workshop.