Nature Artists' Guild

2022 Nature Artists’ Guild’s Spring Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum

Published on February 22, 2022March 4, 2022 by DeniseLeave a comment

2022 Nature Artists’ Guild Spring Art Exhibit poster. Artwork by Paulette McDermott. Poster design by Jane Kellenberger.

Spring must be on its way! One of the earliest signs of spring each year is the poster for the Spring Art Exhibit of The Nature Artists’ Guild at The Morton Arboretum.

Much more about the 2022 Spring Featured Artist, Paulette McDermott, as well as samples of her artwork and that of some of the other participating artists will be coming soon.

The digital version of the exhibit postcard will be emailed to members to share with their friends and family and copies of the poster and postcards will be available to pick up at next week’s program at The Morton Arboretum.

There is still time to join the Nature Artists’ Guild or renew membership for 2022 and participate in the upcoming exhibit. New or returning members will be emailed a link to the prospectus when their membership is confirmed (current members were emailed a link on February 5.)
Completed prospectuses must be returned by Monday, March 7, 2022.
Click here for more information about membership. If joining by mail, please use this contact form to let us know.

George Bruce Presentation on March 3, 2022

Published on February 15, 2022March 2, 2022 by DeniseLeave a comment

George Bruce’s education and career in design and marketing well-prepared him for later following his passion of creating fine art. Initially creating lovely scenes in watercolor, George also developed an affinity and for using oil pastels and sometimes combining the two.

More of George’s work can be seen at the Proud Fox Gallery in Geneva, IL and he teaches at the Dupage Art League.

On Thursday evening, March 3, 2022 beginning at 7 pm, George will give an in-person presentation sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum. The presentation will be open to all and free-of-charge for admission to the program, admission to the arboretum, and parking. Visitors can let the gate attendant at The Morton Arboretum know they are there for the Nature Artists’ Guild program to be directed to Thornhill.

Please note – The board of the Nature Artists’ Guild has, in an effort to ensure that all members and guests feel safe and welcome, made a decision to require that masks be worn by all attendees at the March 3, 2022 meeting. The presenter may not wear a mask during the presentation, but has been asked to while in closer conversations with guests. Please note that The Morton Arboretum has, in alignment with the state of Illinois, lifted its indoor mask requirement and there is a slight possibility of encountering arboretum staff or members of the public within the building who may not be wearing masks.

Note for members – Posters and postcards for the upcoming 2022 Spring Nature Art Exhibit at The Morton Arboretum will be available to pick up at the meeting.

Nature Artists’ Guild Returns to the Tropics on February 9, 2022

Published on February 5, 2022February 15, 2022 by DeniseLeave a comment

Photos from 2020 Nature Artists’ Guild paint-out at Orchids by Hausermann

This Wednesday, February 9, 2022, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will have the opportunity to attend a paint-out inside the vast tropical greenhouse of Orchids by Hausermann. The paint-out will occur from 7 until 10 am, before Hausermann’s business hours. Guild members who would like to attend can. contact Linn Eldred by Tuesday, February 8 to reserve a spot. (Linn’s email address can be found in the guild’s Yearbook or in the January 9 email sent to all members.)

Established in 1920, the Hausermann’s greenhouse complex is one of the largest “orchid ranges” in the world. Their website features a comprehensive photo gallery of their wide variety of stunning orchids.

Nancy Wu’s artwork at Hausermann’s, 2020

Wonderful Trees for Week 4

Published on January 28, 2022February 9, 2022 by Denise1 Comment

To the artist the forest is an asylum of peace, of dancing shadows, of sun-flecked green. The rugged trunks are stalwart guardians–green, violet, and russety grey–with their reaching branches meeting in a noble arch overhead.
– John F. Carlson

The three pieces chosen from the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection for the fourth and final week of the 2022 Beginning the New Year with the Masters project of the Nature Artists’ Guild feature trees in different styles and media.

In 2022, one of the world’s most renowned “tree museums” The Morton Arboretum celebrates “100 years of planting and protecting trees for a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world.” The Nature Artists’ Guild hopes to honor the celebration in various ways, and gaining inspiration from the work of master artists is a good beginning.

Sculptor Adam Matano, February 3, 2022

Published on January 25, 2022February 9, 2022 by DeniseLeave a comment

*The Hunter*, *bronze, copyright Adam Matano*. Photo credit adammatano.com.

Sculptor Adam Matano will be the presenter for the February 3, 2022 online program sponsored by the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum.

Adam’s stunning large and small-scale bronze sculptures of animals are usually from “real life models that he has spent time with, through observation or interaction.”

In Los Angeles, where Adam sculpts and teaches, he often brings his students to the zoo to work from live models. He has also begun teaching online workshops for students at all levels where they “learn basic anatomy, form and proportion, rhythm and design; and its application in the sculpting of animal figure.”

More about Adam, short videos about his works, his process, and his classes and workshops, as well as images of his artwork are available on his website.

From Adam Matano’s outdoor workshops. Photo credit adammatano.com.

Nature Artists’ Guild members will receive instructions and a link for attending this online program by email within the next week. Since the guild’s presentations are open to all, any non-members who wish to attend can request a link by completing the contact form on our About page.

Guild members were emailed a basic list of materials on January 13 for those who would like to try some of Adam’s techniques on their own.

Color, Color, and More Color in Week 3

Published on January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 by DeniseLeave a comment

O’Keeffe, Yellow Hickory Leaves with Daisy

“Color, color and more color” is the theme in the third week of the Nature Artists’ Guild’s 2022 Beginning the New Year with the Masters. Whether it’s through the use of one bright color, numerous jewel-like colors, or pairs of complementary colors, each piece of artwork chosen from the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago highlights color in a masterful way.

Participants have been asked to study the use of color in the above works and think about how they use it in their own.

The Latest for the Nature Artists’ Guild

Published on January 12, 2022January 23, 2022 by DeniseLeave a comment

Ongoing

The 2022 New Year with the Masters project enters week 2 with three works of art from the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Please click on any title to see the full image and read more about it.

The Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit at the Downers Grove Library continues until January 30, 2022.

*In Search of Emily Carr, copyright Sharon Malec*

Coming Soon

A paint-out is scheduled for February 9, 2022 at Orchids by Hausermann, one of the world’s largest orchid growers. Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will meet in the morning, before Hausermann’s opens to the public, and except for some employees, will have the large greenhouse to themselves. Details were emailed to members earlier this week.

Inside the greenhouse at **Orchids by Hausermann**

On the evening of February 3, 2022, Nature Artists’ Guild members will have the opportunity to attend an online presentation by talented sculptor Adam Matano. More details about Adam and his work, as well as links and directions for attending the online meeting will be emailed to all members later this month.

In-progress sculpture, photo credit Adam Matano.com/blog

Beginning the New Year with the Masters

Published on January 2, 2022January 12, 2022 by DeniseLeave a comment

(Click on any artwork title above to reach the catalog page of the Art Institute of Chicago.)

Many members of the Nature Artists’ Guild have been fortunate enough to spend time with the works of Old Masters and Modern Masters at one of the world’s largest museums of art, the Art Institute of Chicago. Studying and gaining inspiration from some of the greatest artists in history is a widely recognized way of improving artistic skills and expanding creativity.

During the month of January, 2022, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild can continue in that time-honored tradition, studying images from the Art Institute’s online catalog of their collection.

Each week we will announce three chosen pieces by artists whose works at the Art Institute of Chicago have been admired by millions. Guild participants can choose one or more to use as inspiration in the creation of original nature art using their own photos or observations.

This can mean anything from doing daily value sketches from the master’s works, practicing the artist’s brush strokes, using their color palette, medium, or subject matter, to finishing a work in the style of, inspired by, or “after” or “in the manner of” the chosen artist. It is fascinating and satisfying to study a work so closely (even through images) and participating artists will undoubtedly come away from the project with some new insights into their own artwork.

Week 1 begins on January 5, 2022 with some dramatic interpretations of everyday scenes. Members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will receive further instructions by email soon.

Please click here to join or renew membership in the Nature Artists’ Guild for 2022.

Looking Back at 2021 with the Nature Artists’ Guild

Published on December 30, 2021January 2, 2022 by Denise1 Comment

Before moving ahead to 2022, we’d like to share a few reminders of some of the Nature Artists’ Guild’s projects, paint-outs, exhibits, and programs of 2021. Here is a sample of nature art shared throughout the year by guild members and program presenters as well as some photos from paint-out locations.

To view more of the wonderful artwork of 2021, scroll through the Home page or visit the Member Artwork or Featured Artist pages of the website.

Please click here to join or r enew membership in the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum for 2022.

Nature Artists’ Guild Exhibit at Downers Grove Library Opens January 2, 2022

Published on December 30, 2021December 30, 2021 by DeniseLeave a comment

Blue Tango by Alice Wych is just one example of the wonderful artwork that visitors to the Nature Artists’ Guild exhibit at the Downers Grove Public Library gallery can enjoy during the month of January, 2022.

The exhibit will be open during library hours from January 2 through January 30, 2022. The library’s open exhibition spaces provide a comfortable environment for viewing both the guild’s exhibit and their impressive permanent collection of art. Updates for visiting the library are available by clicking here.