Congratulations to Peggy McGahan, who was chosen to be the Featured Artist for the 2017 Nature Artists’ Guild Autumn (Holiday) Exhibition of Natural History Art at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL.
This exhibit of Peggy’s work along with approximately 150 pieces by fellow members of the Nature Artists’ Guild will be open to all the weekend of November 4 and 5, 2017 between 10 am and 4 pm. A special reception for guests of the artists, as well as members of The Morton Arboretum will take place on the evening of Friday, November 3, 2017 from 5 until 9 pm.
More information about the exhibit to come soon. Please click on the “Featured Artist” tab to read more about Peggy and to view additional examples of her gorgeous artwork.
On Thursday, October 5, 2017, from 7 until 9 pm, the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum will be hosting a program by Patricia Larkin Green on the art of sumi-e brush painting.
“Experience the meditative practice of traditional Japanese ink painting, sumi-e, the art of painting using a brush (fude), ink (sumi) and thin, absorbent “rice-paper” (washi).”
Please click on one of the highlighted links to Patricia’s website to learn more about the artist, her artwork and sumi-e brush painting.
As always, guests and visitors are welcome to attend this program at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum. Attendance, parking and admission to The Morton Arboretum are free-of-charge for this event. Visitors should let the attendant at the gate know that they are there for the Nature Artists’ Guild program and they will be directed to Thornhill.
The St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville, IL not only “contains over 100 acres of woodlands, prairies and wetlands, which are home to over 300 native plant species”, but is home to a 1890’s barn, a pond and numerous sculptures commissioned by the McCormick family, former owners of the property.
On Tuesday, September 19, 2017, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild are invited to attend a paint-out at the preserve between 9 am and noon. Interested members are encouraged to RSVP to Jane Kellenberger, whose contact information can be found in their Yearbook, and should meet in the Winfield Road Entrance main parking lot, 2S541 Winfield Road, Warrenville.
Nature Artists’ Guild member Lindsay Sandbothe would like to extend an invitation to all to visit her new exhibit at the Vogt Visual Arts Center in Tinley Park, IL. This two-person exhibition features the artwork of bird artists Lindsay and Kristina Knowski, and will be open from September 5th through September 30th, 2017. Please click on this link for times and driving directions.
The Nature Artists’ Guild fundraising committee will be conducting a new workshop for members only on Saturday, September 23, 2017 from 9:30 until noon at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum.
Participants in this free workshop will learn how to create art on ceramics using oil-based paint markers. The Nature Artists’ Guild will provide all the ceramic plates and some oil-based paint markers for the workshop, but attendees are asked to bring one Sharpie oil-based paint marker in a color of their choice to share. These markers are widely available in art stores or craft departments.
Attendees should also bring a simple nature art design to transfer onto a ceramic plate. Flowers, birds, feathers or leaves would be appropriate, but landscapes are discouraged.
The finished ceramic pieces (for decoration only and not dishwasher safe) will be sold for $20 each at the Autumn (Holiday) Exhibition of Natural History Art in November, with all proceeds going to the Nature Artists’ Guild. Materials and instructions can be provided for participants who would like to take their piece home to complete and return it on November 1 at the exhibit artwork drop-off.
Interested members should contact workshop leaders Jill Adzia or Catherine Stacy to enroll in this fun and easy fundraising project. Their contact information can be found in the Guild’s Yearbook.
Nature Artists’ Guild members Catherine Stacy, Jill Adzia and Susan Bartlett with their lovely ceramic plates.
The Gardens at Ball have been the evaluation and testing grounds for the world’s wealth of horticultural introductions and improvements for nearly 80 years. What began as a row trial garden for seed varieties in 1933 has grown to encompass over 9 acres of display beds for annuals, perennials, cut flowers and vegetables, including the newest plants from the industry’s leading breeders and marketers. http://www.ballhort.com/GardensAtBall/
On the morning of Thursday, August 24, 2017, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum are invited to attend a paint-out at The Gardens at Ball, Ball Horticultural Company, 622 Town Road, West Chicago, IL between 9 am and noon.
Participants are asked to RSVP to Jane Kellenberger, and should bring a folding chair, art supplies, and their camera for this exciting opportunity. Many thanks to Jane for the wonderful photos (please click on any photo for a larger version). Her contact information can be found in the Nature Artists’ Guild Yearbook.
The Gardens at Ball, photo credit Jane Kellenberger
The Gardens at Ball, photo credit Jane Kellenberger
The Gardens at Ball, photo credit Jane Kellenberger
The annual August program of the Nature Artists’ Guild has traditionally featured three member-artists’ stations where visitors could learn about and participate in unique artistic methods. The 2017 format for this popular program will basically stay the same, but the three stations will mix it up a bit with presentations on the intriguing history and use of the Chinese chop, proper framing for original fine art, and a display of sketchbooks and journals created by members throughout last summer’s Sketchbook Encounter and this summer’s Nature Art Journal project.
At the Nature Artists’ Guild Spring Exhibit, Featured Artist Nancy Wu received numerous questions about her signature on paintings in the form of a Chinese seal (or chop). For her presentation, Nancy will share books and traditional Chinese paintings as she explains the history and meaning of the seal in Chinese painting, as well as the different carving methods used in creating the seals.
Copyright Nancy Wu
The multi-talented Evelyn Grala, who aside from being a talented artist, publishes the Nature Artists’ Quarterly and has served on nearly every Nature Artists’ Guild committee, is a Certified Picture Framer through the Professional Picture Framers Association. Evelyn will be discussing the proper archival framing methods and materials for various types of fine art. This knowledge is important for understanding options when hiring a professional framer or performing some or all of the framing steps yourself.
Egret, Nature Art Journal pages, copyright Nancy Thyfault
The third station will be devoted to members’ artwork created during last summer’s Sketchbook Encounter or this summer’s Nature Art Journalprojects. Participating members are encouraged to bring their work to share with the group. What fun to be able to browse through fellow artists’ sketchbooks and art journals for inspiration and a glimpse of their creative process (and sometimes personality)!
As always, guests and visitors are welcome to attend this enjoyable and informative Nature Artists’ Guild program at the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum from 7 until 9 pm. There is no charge for admission to the Arboretum, the program, or parking for the event. Guests and visitors should let the gate attendant at the Arboretum know they are there for the Nature Artists’ Guild program to be directed to Thornhill.
Nature Artists' Guild 