Our new header features detail from Yellow Honeysuckle, Lonicera reticulata, by our 2011 Holiday Exhibit featured artist, Ku-mie Kim. You can read more about Ku-mie and see some of her lovely images on our “Featured Artist” page by clicking the tab above or by clicking here.Congratulations, Ku-mie, and we look forward to seeing many more examples of your wonderful talent at our exhibit in November!
The trees of The Morton Arboretum have begun their big event – their annual display of reds, golds, oranges and violets against a deep blue sky! The Nature Artists’ Guild has scheduled a paint-out during this show to try to capture at least some of all of that beauty. On Saturday, October 22, 2011, we’ll be meeting in front of Thornhill at 9:30 a.m. before heading out to choose our location(s) for painting and sketching. Whether you prefer to stay with the group or wander off on your own, we can guarantee that you will find some trees all decked out in their finest, ready and willing to be your models for the morning.
Bring a thermos, your supplies, and a portable chair or stool and we’ll supply the muffins! The paint-out will be held rain or shine, but we’ll hope for one of those bright blue October skies. Please invite your friends from other art groups, as this paint-out is open to everyone, members and non-members alike, but please keep in mind that non-members of The Morton Arboretum will still be charged a gate fee. No RSVP is necessary, and in case of rain, please meet at the Sterling Morton Library.
Our Fundraising Chair Nancy Thyfault has again arranged for members of the Nature Artists’ Guild to have their very own artwork reproduced onto ceramic tiles, ornaments or pendants! The process requires a digital image of your artwork, and you should have received the price list and details via e-mail a few weeks ago. This special pricing was arranged by Nancy especially for our members, and is available not only for items to be sold at our Artisan (fundraising) table at the Holiday Exhibit in November, but also for items you may choose to make for yourself or give as gifts! If you have any questions about the project, please contact Nancy.
Order forms and payment must be postmarked by, and artwork e-mailed by October 25.
Whether you have finished pieces ready for our upcoming Holiday show, or just a few sketches from your backyard, we’d love to include a few images of your creations in the Winter edition of the Nature Artists’ Guild members’ publication, “The Quarterly”.
All you need to do is send a JPEG file to Evelyn Grala (her contact information can be found in your Yearbook). If you don’t have a professional scan of your artwork or a home printer/scanner, any office supply chain should be able to scan your artwork (usually up to 11 x 17 inches) for just a few dollars (just make sure the artwork is not under glass). They’ll even e-mail the JPEG file to Evelyn for another small fee! Evelyn will be able to crop off or clean up the edges of the scan if needed, and then it’s ready for publication!
Please be sure to e-mail all images to Evelyn by October 25 to be included in the Winter issue.
Nature Artists’ Guild liaison, Suzanne Wegener describes our upcoming program featuring Marlene Hill Donnelly –
Nature artists have color considerations beyond those of other artists—we need to be able to mix both the intense and precise colors of our flowers, birds and insects, and the quiet but luminous colors of shadow, reflected light and distance. Marlene will first demonstrate her system of “color mapping” designed to create a team of colors for any subject to ensure both accuracy and interest. Next she will demonstrate a very loose and expressive method that can be used to learn color mixing in a fun and meditative way as well as to create finished paintings or backgrounds.
Marlene HIll Donnelly is a third generation artist with degrees in Fine Art from the American Academy of Art in Chicago and in Zoology, with a minor in Botany, from University of Illinois. She is a science artist Associate for the Field Museum, reconstructing ancient landscapes and extinct plants and animals for the Department of Geology. She also works with the Smithsonian Institution, University College Dublin, Ireland, and many other institutions, bringing the past to life. Her work is widely published and is exhibited in museums throughout the world. She is a Certificate Course instructor at the Chicago Botanic Garden and at the Morton Arboretum.
One thing is for certain – Patty loves to spend time outdoors! She’s kind of quiet, but you can tell by her smile that she’s thrilled to be the newest member of the Nature Artists’ Guild. Be sure to stop by to see Patty before our next meeting on October 6. She spends most, if not all, of her time at The Morton Arboretum, hanging out by the lake with some friends.
Also pictured are Jill Adzia, Patty Koenigsaecker and Suzanne Wegener (they’re the ones not wearing hats).
In addition to all the other fun things we’ll be working on during our Holiday Exhibit Workshop at Thornhill tomorrow (see details in earlier post), we’ll also be assembling the very first Nature Artists’ Guild Scarecrow for The Morton Arboretum’s annual display. The gorgeous gal in the sketch below, by Nature Artists’ Guild member Patty Koenigsaecker, is what we hope our scarecrow will look when she’s done. Don’t you agree she just may be the cutest scarecrow ever? Please stop by the workshop any time between 10 and 2 to help get her ready for her debut!
An important message from our Fundraising Chair, Nancy Thyfault –
Ladies and Gentlemen, mark your calendars! Our Holiday Workshop will be September 17th, 10 am to 2 pm, Room C, Thornhill.
This is your opportunity to create items for our fundraising table at the Holiday Exhibit. Think you aren’t “crafty”- well, it’s more about creating unique items embellished with your artwork! Please join us and we can get you started.
We will have wooden trays, boxes and other pieces that you may paint, faux finish or design however you would like to. Nancy Kolar will be there to help with fabric painting on holiday tote bags- what a great idea for “wrapping” a holiday gift! If you think that you may want to paint a tote bag, you can work up a design in the 8” x 10” range to bring along. You could also bring photos for reference. There will other “projects” to work on as well.
You needn’t stay for the entire time. Many people pick up items and take them home to work on. You may stay, bring lunch and enjoy some creative time with your fellow artists!
Please bring along your favorite brushes and acrylic paints. A container for water is a good idea, too. Thanks to some generous donations, we have plenty of things to work on.
It’s been a beautiful summer (what blue skies!) and although we hate to see it end, we all know that autumn will also bring more than it’s share of beauty. The well-attended Nature Artists’ Guild Holiday Exhibit, taking place November 18th through the 20th will be a wonderful opportunity for displaying your autumn landscapes as well as your botanical or wildlife artwork!
Prospectuses for the Holiday Show must be mailed by October 8th, so there’s still time to start a new piece! With so much inspiration all around, why not? If you are a new member, please don’t be timid! For many of our members, a Nature Artists Guild exhibit was the first place they ever exhibited. They know first-hand how intimidating it can seem, and we think you’ll find that your fellow NAG members are very supportive, non-competitive and helpful (not to mention plain old nice).
At our formal meeting on Thursday, August 4, 2011 at 7 pm, Dick Blick Wheaton store manager Kevin Sandstrom and his associates will be performing product demonstrations and even handing out some free samples!
Along with his experience in retail management and marketing, Kevin is an experienced freelance illustrator, and founder of various artist groups and forums.
Please join your fellow Nature Artists’ Guild members in what we expect to be a fun and informative evening!
Nature Artists' Guild 