If you’ve attended Botanical Art classes at the The Morton Arboretum, you’ve probably had the chance to see some of the rare prints and original artwork from the impressive collection held by The Sterling Morton Library.
The Nature Artists’ Guild recently made a donation to the arboretum to show our gratitude and to help contribute to their mission. Our donation late last year was used by the library to purchase some contemporary artwork to add to their collection. As Arlene Widrevitz, of the Rare Print Collection writes,
“The newest acquisitions in the Print Collection of The Sterling Morton Library were purchased with funds donated by The Nature Artists’ Guild.
Winter Portrait: Asclepias syriaca by Karen Johnson is an example of scratchboard art. The scratchboard technique is normally associated with the use of ink, but here, Karen has created a black and white image with graphite. This original piece features dried milkweed pods with the seeds escaping against a prairie background.
Sacred Union by Kimberly Mullarkey is an example of her delicate colored pencil work on a black background. The image is an imaginative combination of an insect with one wing outspread superimposed over the human skeleton.
Amanita muscaria and Russula Bouquet II by Alexander “Sasha” Viazmensky represent his work in watercolor. Sasha specializes in portraying the mushrooms that he finds in the woods near his home in St. Petersburg, Russia. Sasha recently taught a class in mushroom painting here at the Arboretum, which was very popular with his students and everyone who was able to see his work and that of his class. Amanita muscaria is an original in watercolor and Russula Bouquet II is a print of his watercolor work.
These works will be available for viewing in classes that feature these techniques. Also, anyone can make an appointment to view these artworks or any others here in the library. We do enjoy showing off our collections!”
Tomorrow, from 10 am to 2 pm, the Nature Artists’ Guild will be hosting one of our two scheduled spring workshops. Tomorrow’s workshop will focus on creating stencils from your own artwork, which can then be used on almost anything – fabrics, furniture, walls, you name it! You should have received an e-mail earlier this week with the supply list. At first glance, it may look like quite a few items, but if you read it carefully, you probably already have most or all of the supplies. If you are just interested in making the stencils, and want to do your painting at a different time, you don’t even need to bring the last few items.
The workshop will be held in Room A at Thornhill, so please stop in!
Last evening at our formal program, Winnie Godfrey captivated us with her artwork, her warmth and her humor. Seeing slides of her artwork, hearing stories of her art adventures, asking her questions, and getting the chance to see many of her original paintings (including a favorite of hers and most of the audience – Peony, seen in the post below, as well as one part of the triptych also posted below), made it absolutely worthwhile to have braved the cold!
Thank you, Winnie, for going the extra mile and bringing your gorgeous paintings. What a wonderful treat!
After a successful trial run last autumn, “Bring a Book, Take a Book” returns this Thursday at our formal meeting featuring Winnie Godfrey!
Our membership chair, Sylvia Tester notes that “many of us have a host of books about art and natural history”, and “the idea is to bring a book you have read and probably will not read again, and to take home a book that is new to you”. It is requested that the subject matter be limited to art, photography and natural history.
At the first formal meeting in 2011 of the Nature Artists’ Guild, on Thursday, February 10 from 7 to 9 pm, we will have the privilege of welcoming accomplished artist Winifred Godfrey.
While best known for her stunning grand-scale floral paintings, Winnie also has a national following for her work in other subjects. Winnie has been featured in numerous publications, is the recipient of many honors, and her artwork is included in private, corporate and museum collections and has been exhibited throughout North America.
A few of Winnie’s most recent accomplishments in the last few months have been a one-woman exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center and participation in the renowned Grand Rapids “ArtPrize” competition ( with a 72” x 112” floral triptych of gladioli!)
In Winnie’s words, “What primarily interests me in painting flowers is the delicate and temporary quality of the blossom. Although they are painted realistically, the subject is just the starting point for an abstract study of luminosity, transparency and form.”
“The trick is to catch my live subjects at precisely the right moment when the sun illuminates their fragile components.”
Please visit Winnie’s website for a better appreciation of the delight in store for our February meeting. What a way to brighten up a winter evening and turn our attention towards spring!
It used to be the seed and bulb catalogs that got you through those long winter months, but now you also have the option of the online catalog of classes offered at The Morton Arboretum! Believe it or not, our earliest sign of spring, the arboretum’s education schedule, has arrived. Whether it’s Botanical Art, Photography, Natural History, Gardening and Horticulture, or Ornithology, there is a class or workshop for everyone. Click here to begin. Enjoy!
The Hausermann’s paint-out is still scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, February 4. It’s even fine with them if you show up early – they open at 8 am. Yes, it will be cold outside, but Hausermann’s showroom is a great place to warm up and forget about the weather. Don’t forget, one lucky participant will receive a free orchid to take home! Contact Ku-mie Kim to RSVP if you haven’t already.
Our formal meeting featuring Winnie Godfrey has been rescheduled for next Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 7 pm. Stay warm and safe and we’ll see you next week!
Hausermann’s Orchids is another favorite of Nature Artists’ Guild artists. On a cold wintry day, you can almost feel yourself relax when you step inside this greenhouse. Thousands of the orchids that Hausermann’s is famous for nationwide will be in bloom, just waiting for you to capture their beauty in your artwork.
An area of the greenhouse has been set aside as a showroom with hundreds of orchid specimens which is where we can set up to sketch or paint. Even if you only take photographs for future inspiration, it is worth the effort to set aside some time to attend. Of course the orchids are also for sale, so if you’d like your “inspiration” to come home with you, that can be arranged! One lucky paint-out attendee will even receive a free orchid to take home.
Unfortunately, space is limited so we have to limit the group to 15 artists. Please contact Ku-mie Kim if you’d like to come (you can find her contact information in the Yearbook or write a comment to this post and I’ll forward the information). We’ll be meeting at Hausermann’s on Friday, 02/04/10 from 9:30 to 12:30. They are located at 2N134 Addison Road, Villa Park, IL (see www.orchidsbyhausermann.com for directions and more information.).
Bring a chair, your art supplies, and leave your parka at home!
The first paint-out location of 2011 is an annual favorite, the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum at Benedictine University in Lisle. We will meet on January 15, at 9:30 am, and can stay until about 12:30 pm. There’s a good reason we keep coming back – this museum is a treasure!
The museum is filled with mounts and skeletons of creatures ranging from birds to elk. Closer than the Field museum for most, and warmer than the zoo in January, this is a great opportunity to get good sketches of almost any animal imaginable! The more than 10,000 specimens are displayed in a few large rooms, and there are usually no other visitors during our paint-outs, so we have plenty of room. There are a few benches available, but you may want to bring a folding chair so you can move to wherever you find an interesting subject.
Please let Ku-mie Kim know if you are planning to come, as she will be meeting members there. It’s fine if you need to be a little late – it’s a casual gathering. Often some of the participants go out for lunch afterwards, or stay a little later at the museum for some extra time with the animals.
The address is 5700 College Road, Lisle, Birck Hall, 2nd Floor. For some photos and more information about the museum, please click here.
Nature Artists' Guild 
