Artist Reception- At Ease in Nature: Nature Holds Our Stories

At Ease in Nature: Nature Holds Our Stories brings together artists with a U.S. military connection to explore the ways nature can hold memory, witness personal experience, and offer space for reflection and healing.

Presented by Brushwood Center at the Waukegan History Museum at the Carnegie, the exhibition brings together artwork, photography, and personal narratives from current service members, Veterans, and their immediate family members and caregivers. These works reflect the many ways relationships with the natural world can shape stories of service, transition, resilience, family, and belonging.

At Ease is Brushwood Center’s innovative approach to empower the wellbeing of Veterans and the Military Community.

It is the only Veterans program in the region offering a nature-based approach that helps build skills in creative expression, while also providing access to mental health support. 900+ participants gather annually to get outside, and explore and express their emotions through nature-based art, music, and photography workshops.

Through diverse artistic perspectives and lived experiences, At Ease in Nature: Nature Hold Our Stories honors the connection between service, storytelling, and the restorative power of the natural world. Together, these works create a space for recognition, reflection, and shared understanding; reminding us that sometimes, in nature, we find room to pause, reconnect, and feel at ease.

Please join us for a closing reception to celebrate the artists and the exhibition. 

The Artists:

Darwin Adams
Evelyn Adams
Gary Andre
Anthony Casares
Jeanine Casares
Victor Flores
Ines Gardea
Angelique Lawyer
Jerry Loza
Carol Luc
Anna Nothnagel
Oluwatoyin Olabisi
Nataila Osias
Charlene Phillips
Dante H. Plata
Beverly Rivera
Margarete de Soleil
Angela Walker
Maryann Wattelle