Venture into a world that blends nature and creativity during a free art exhibit hosted by Hidden Oaks Nature Center from July 5 through Aug. 30.

The “Into the Wild Art Exhibition” will showcase work by the Nature Artists’ Guild of The Morton Arboretum. Exhibit hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.

“I encourage everyone to come out and see the amazing talent and creativity,” said Suzy Lyttle, a program coordinator at Hidden Oaks. “We are always blown away by what the Nature Artists’ Guild puts together. It’s also a chance to see the love of nature portrayed in a different light.”

Most Forest Preserve programs are designed to get people outdoors, but the art exhibitions offer something different.

“This side of nature is more approachable and inspires us to appreciate the beauty nature holds,” Lyttle said. “It may even tempt you to see if you can find the same sorts of things in your own garden, neighborhood or while traveling. The best part of nature is that it’s all around us, if we take a moment to notice the fine details.”

The exhibit will include a variety of mediums.

"The featured artwork includes a wide variety of artistic styles and techniques to showcase natural subjects that are familiar to the viewer and those that are fresh and new," said guild President Terrie McComb. "We believe that visitors to Hidden Oaks Nature Center will find these images fun and intriguing to explore, inspiring a spirit of appreciation for the wonderful world around us."

Artwork subject matter and size also are varied, added guild member Denise Fisk. 

"The artwork for 'Into the Wild' ranges from the wild of the African savanna, to that of the artists' backyards or gardens," she said. "The sizes range from miniature to imposing, and the styles range from delicate to bold. Some of the media used include acrylic, watercolor, oil, graphite, scratchboard, fiber and collage."

Visitors will be asked to vote for their favorite work in the People’s Choice and Kids’ Choice awards. Voting ends at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22. Also, there will be a free raffle for a poster or tote bag featuring the artwork "Scratch That" by Lindsay Sandbothe.

McComb added that guild members are "delighted" to partner with the Forest Preserve District on an art exhibit for the second time. The first exhibit was held shortly after the Forest Preserve acquired Hidden Oaks Preserve in 2022 and before extensive remodeling was completed this year for a grand reopening in May.

Lyttle, too, said she was excited to team up again with the guild now that Hidden Oaks has reopened. 

“I particularly like this exhibit because it comes from the great minds of local artists," she said. "It also features all types of sizes and art mediums. That diversity always makes viewing a show a touch more unexpected, because around each corner and wall there’s something different to explore.”