Aurora University To Open Exhibit Of Nature, Artifact Sketches Nov. 14

AURORA, Ill.-- “Field Sketches Inspired by the Schingoethe Center,” a display of 28 illustrations of Native American plants and artifacts from Aurora University’s Schingoethe Center for Native American Cultures, will be hosted by AU Nov. 14-Jan. 4.

The exhibit is free to the public in the Downstairs Dunham Gallery at 1400 Marseillaise Place in Aurora.

The show opens Wednesday, Nov. 14, with a public reception from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

After the reception, botanist Pat Armstrong of Naperville will give a slide lecture on usage of plants by Native Americans and exhibit specimens of plants.

The display and lecture are part of AU’s 2007-2008 Celebrating Arts and Ideas series. Arts and Ideas Series sponsors are: MetLife and Nicor, Gold sponsors; Harris Aurora and Human Resource Management Systems, LLC, Silver sponsors; City of Aurora and Sikich, Bronze sponsors. Media support is provided by The Beacon News and Comcast.

Eleven artists of The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, Great Lakes chapter, created the artworks. Some pieces combine both a plant and a museum artifact. Sketch books from selected artists will also be displayed.

Media include watercolors, acrylics, pastels, color pencil, and mixed media. Sale prices range from $20 for matted digital prints to $900 for framed originals.

Meg Bero, Schingoethe Center executive director, said, “This exhibit builds on the theme in the Schingoethe Museum of Native American plants and the objects made from them.

“Guild of Natural Science illustrators spent hours in the Schingoethe Center painting and drawing artifacts in the collections.”

Founded in 1966 at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History, The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators includes scientific artists who work on a variety of natural history subjects from prehistory to modern day discoveries.

They celebrate the world in all its complexity and strive to help communicate difficult concepts to the public by creating dynamic, beautiful illustrations. 

Call (630) 844-7843 or visit www.aurora.edu/artsandideas for more information.

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