Asides

The Promise of an Acorn Exhibit Opens Sunday, July 22, 2018

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Many of the artists participating in the upcoming exhibit, The Promise of an Acorn, at the Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods in Riverwoods, IL are also members of the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum. The artists would like to extend an invitation to all nature and art lovers to the opening reception and exhibit.  Please click on the above highlighted link or on the image for directions and more information.

From the Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods –

The Promise of an Acorn

The Art of Oak Ecosystems

July 22 to September 2, 2018

Our exhibition, The Promise of an Acorn, focuses not just on the oak itself, but also on the unique habitat it creates, the other species it supports, and its impact on the environment and culture.

Participating Artists:

Beverly Behrens · Stephanie Bird · Gabriella Boros · Carrie Carlson · Dolores Diaz
Heidi Jachna · Heeyoung Kim · Kumie Kim · Taehoon Kim
Peggy Macnamara · Victoria Marchio · Mary McCloskey · Carol Jean Rogalski
Barbara Rose · Carla Schmakel · Georgia Schwender · Vicky Tesmer

Opening Reception: Sunday, July 22 1-3 pm. After the reception, join us for the debut of our Dear Earth series!

Tribute to a Treasured Tool

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The New York Times Magazine recently published a short photo essay about the manufacturing process of pencils.  Don’t let the seemingly technical title, Inside One of America’s Last Pencil Factories, fool you – the photos and prose are a love letter to one of our oldest and most versatile tools.  At first glance, the photography will grab your attention and you might be tempted to skim through the text.  While doing so, you may come across a few phrases that convince you to go back to the beginning and savor the words.  For more tributes from artists and writers, visit the comments sections (use the “Readers Picks” option for some of the best).  You may never look at a pencil the same way again.

From The New York Times Magazine, “Inside One of America’s Last Pencil Factories”. Photo by Christopher Payne. Please click on photo or one of the highlighted links for full article.

Lori Stralow Harris and Butterflies on June 1, 2017

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Update – We apologize, but due to a scheduling concern, Lori will not be presenting the June 2017 program.  Please join us instead for a presentation by Marge Hall on June 1, 2017 from 7 until 9 pm.

Artist and educator Lori Stralow Harris opened the Salt Creek Butterfly Farm in 2012 in an effort to provide a “wide variety of opportunities for children and adults to slow down, observe, and appreciate the quiet but spectacular presence of butterflies in our world.”

On Thursday, June 1, 2017 from 7 until 9 pm, members of the Nature Artists’ Guild, guests, and visitors will have the chance to experience one of these opportunities as Lori brings her talents as well as some live butterflies to the Thornhill Education Center of The Morton Arboretum.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their camera and sketchbooks to this unique presentation! As always, guests and visitors are welcome to attend this Nature Artists’ Guild sponsored program, and there is no charge for admission or parking. Visitors should let the gate attendant know they are there for the program in order to be admitted free-of-charge and directed to Thornhill.

Please click on this link for the Salt Creek Butterfly Farm or the photo below to read much more about Lori and her fascinating mission.

Photo credit www.saltcreekbutterflyfarm.com. Copyright Lori Harris.

Annual Danada Nature Art and Photo Exhibit October 8 and 9, 2016

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The Friends of Danada are proud to present their annual Nature Art and Photo exhibit on the weekend of October 8 and 9, 2016 between 11 am and 5 pm. Nature artists and photographers throughout the Chicagoland area are invited to participate in this juried exhibit located inside Danada House, the beautiful and historic former home of Dan and Ada Rice, at 3S507 Naperville Road in Wheaton, IL.

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

The Friends of Danada Nature Art and Photo Exhibit is held in conjunction with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s largest event of the year, the annual Danada Fall Festival. This popular festival is held on Sunday at the Danada Equestrian Center, on the grounds of Danada House, and attracts over 10,000 visitors each year.  Parking and admission to the event are free-of-charge.

An artists and photographers reception will be held at Danada House on Friday, October 7, 2016 from 7 to 9 pm. Winners in the various categories will be announced at that time.

For more information about participating in the Friends of Danada Nature Art and Photo Exhibit, please click here for Friends of Danada contact information.

Update:  Susan Bartlett’s Paper, pictured below, was awarded a first place ribbon at the Danada Nature Art and Photo Exhibit.  This stunning work is “colored pencil on five different papers and is titled Paper in reference to the paper birch, paper kite butterfly, paper wasp and paper whites”. Congratulations to Susan and all of the other Nature Artists’ Guild members who participated, some of whom were awarded “Honorable Mention” ribbons.

"Paper" copyright Susan Bartlett
“Paper” copyright Susan Bartlett

Call for Artists for The Morton Arboretum Wine & Art Walk

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The Morton Arboretum will be presenting a “Wine and Art Walk” on the weekend of August 27th and 28th, 2016.  This juried art festival will feature the works of approximately 80 nature artists “in a wooded and open area along a paved trail around Meadow Lake located near the Visitor Center”.

Applications will be accepted until March 25, 2016. Interested artists can read more about the festival and application process by clicking on this link to the event page of The Morton Arboretum’s website.

Speaking of Raptors!

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Last week we posted a notice about an opportunity to photograph raptors.  This week, Nature Artists’ Guild member Carla Schmakel has shared with us some more news about raptors – information about an art exhibit featuring owls at Glacial Park Conservation Area in McHenry County, Illinois.

Only Owls will be exhibited until March 8, 2015 at the Lost Valley Visitor Center at Glacial Park Conservation Area.  Please click on this link to the McHenry Country Conservation District website to see an example of the artwork  and to read more about Glacial Park. According to the website, “Only Owls brings together an array of 40 artistic representations in pencil, charcoal, ink, watercolor, and woodcut drawn from the Woodson Art Museum’s collection. A compliment of owl facts and artifacts will be on display offering a blend of natural history information and art appreciation.”

This link to the Glacial Park Conservation Area website page offers much more information about this unique natural area, and by clicking on this link to the Lost Valley Visitor Center, you will find be able to read more about the center, including the address and visiting hours.

Thanks for the tip, Carla.  It sounds like a fascinating opportunity!

The Morton Arboretum Photographic Society (MAPS) Would Like to Share this Opportunity

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Our friends at The Morton Arboretum Photographic Society (MAPS) wanted to let us know about this rare opportunity to see and photograph raptors on Saturday, February 7, 2015.  You can read more by clicking on this link to the Stillman Nature Center’s website.

For those who love to photograph the raptors…

Stillman Nature Center is offering “RAPTORS for PHOTOGRAPHERS”

Stillman Nature Center is offering its third annual winter raptor photography day. Now’s your chance to get a close-up of a peregrine falcon, broad-winged hawk, red-shouldered hawk plus great horned, barn, barred, and screech owls. The Stillman volunteers will bring the birds out in the afternoon light to increase your chances of getting that perfect image. Drop by anytime between 3:00 and 4:30 PM on Saturday, February 7th.  Cost is $20 per person.  This is a fund raiser for the nature center.  Stillman Nature Center is located at 33 W. Penny Rd, South Barrington, IL.

Botanical Artist Heeyoung Kim Interviewed by Chicago Tonight

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Nature Artists’ Guild members may remember Heeyoung Kim from the wonderful presentation she gave to our group last year.   A few days ago, Heeyoung was interviewed by WTTW’s Chicago Tonight.

You can view the interview with Heeyoung, as well as read about her personal crusade to paint and preserve 200 native plants, and be treated to a slide show of her work, by clicking on this link to the WTTW website.

Plenty of Opportunities For Summer Painting!

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Many of our Nature Artists’ Guild members are also members of other artists’ organizations in the area.  One of these organizations, the Dupage Art League, has members who meet once per week to paint outdoors.  These “Friday Morning Plein Air Painters” have issued their summer schedule, so if you are interested, please click on this link to the Dupage Art League for more information.  Thank you to Nature Artists’ Guild members Barb Denny and Linn Eldred for this tip!

Also, “Friends of the Field”, an informal group of artists who meet at the Field Museum to paint from the exhibits, led by Artist in Residence Peggy Macnamara, will be meeting on June 14, 2014.  Museum addition fees will apply. Unfortunately, we do not have any more information about this event, so if any of our members have the details about the meeting time or place, please respond in the comment section below.

 Update – Nature Artists’ Guild member Irena Gintilas has kindly provided us with details on the event.  Please click on her comment below.  Thanks Irena!