Located among pristine woodlands in the Ryerson historic home in Riverwoods, Il., Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods promotes the importance of nature for nurturing personal and community wellbeing, cultivating creativity, and inspiring learning.
Watercolor Painting for Women Veterans and Families Develop your unique artistic expression through watercolor painting. We will delight in the colorful, transformative nature of the watercolor while also sharing factual information about the natural world and flowers. Student input and discussion are welcome! Class taught by Gabrielle Tufano.--Art materials will be mailed to your home. […]
Nature Book Club: February The Brushwood Nature Book Club is a space to talk about and explore nature literature in a friendly environment. Each meeting includes discussion, creative writing, and art activities to engage with the themes of the chosen book, led by Brushwood’s Poet-in-Residence Kathryn Haydon, and writer-artist Megan Donahue. Our February book will […]
You Choose the Project · Use Tools and Supplies From BASE · Get Help When You Need It Open Art Workshop is open to anyone who wants to make something in any area of visual arts and crafts, from the experienced artist looking for a community of others to work with, to the complete novice […]
Rest and Recharge: Practicing Radical Self Care in an Uncertain World Rest and Recharge invites visitors into a spacious pause. In a world saturated with constant alerts, urgent headlines, and an unrelenting stream of information, our nervous systems are rarely given time to settle. While some messages truly demand our immediate action, many linger as […]
Opening Reception - Rest and Recharge: Practicing Radical Self Care in an Uncertain World Rest and Recharge invites visitors into a spacious pause. In a world saturated with constant alerts, urgent headlines, and an unrelenting stream of information, our nervous systems are rarely given time to settle. While some messages truly demand our immediate action, […]
Veterans Acrylic Paint & Sip Nights Join us for a fun and relaxing acrylic paint event led by Veteran artists. This event promises to be both educational and therapeutic. Take home your own hand-painted masterpiece!All skill levels welcomed.Non-alcoholic drinks, beer and wine will be available for purchase with the American Legion Cicero Post 96. Small […]
She Was with Artemisia Vocal Trio She Was is a moving vocal performance by Artemisia Vocal Trio that honors the voices, stories, and lived experiences of women across time and place. The program revives past and little-known stories of women and celebrates the storytellers among us today who are keeping their legacies and influences alive. […]
Remembering the Woods: Ancestral Memory Circle Remembering the Woods: Ancestral Memory Circle is a guided virtual gathering that invites participants into a space of reflection, remembrance, and racial healing. Rooted in the project Radical Hope in the Woods, this circle honors the deep and complex relationship between Black Americans and the natural world. Through storytelling, […]
Combat Poetry: Poetry Workshop for Military Service Members & Veterans This poetry workshop is an informal environment combined with a bit of formal instruction. We will write. We will learn. Most of all, we will have fun. We will be led by poet Douglas Self, a United State Marine Corps, Army Reserve, and Iraq War […]
Art Impact Project Art Impact Project facilitates supportive art projects designed to provide participants a different way to express themselves through art-making. With a focus on emotional wellness through creative expression, Art Impact Project's small-group environment gives participants the chance to self-reflect and safely share their observations. Each 90-minute session involves the completion of an art project from start to finish. Projects will vary from week to week, exploring various art media […]
BASE: Create & Sip - Felt Flowers with Julia Kemerer This class is also offered on March 19. Create & Sip is a monthly workshop hosted at Brushwood Center where participants can explore fun projects using supplies and tools from the Brushwood Art Supply Exchange, BASE. It’s an opportunity to get creative, try something new, […]
At Ease Book Club: Chasing the Daylight, by Joanna Rakowski In celebration of Women's History Month, the At Ease program is launching our 2026 At Ease book club with a story from a women Veteran. We will examine Joanna Rakowski's unique story and explore our own personal identities and how the military community has shaped […]
Watercolor Painting for Women Veterans and Families Develop your unique artistic expression through watercolor painting. We will delight in the colorful, transformative nature of the watercolor while also sharing factual information about the natural world and flowers. Student input and discussion are welcome! Class taught by Gabrielle Tufano.--Art materials will be mailed to your home. […]
Water(color) for the Soul: Sounds of the Prairie (Visit 1) Returning in 2026, Black Moon Trio once again invites Veterans and their family members to create and perform their own original musical compositions in Water(color) for the Soul: Sounds of the Prairie. Grounded in the ecology and literary traditions of the prairie, this program explores how […]
Nature Book Club: March The Brushwood Nature Book Club is a space to talk about and explore nature literature in a friendly environment. Each meeting includes discussion, creative writing, and art activities to engage with the themes of the chosen book, led by Brushwood’s Poet-in-Residence Kathryn Haydon, and writer-artist Megan Donahue. Our March book will […]
You Choose the Project · Use Tools and Supplies From BASE · Get Help When You Need It Open Art Workshop is open to anyone who wants to make something in any area of visual arts and crafts, from the experienced artist looking for a community of others to work with, to the complete novice […]
The Nature of Sleep with Nancy Rothstein, MBA, The Sleep Ambassador® What if better sleep could transform not only how you feel—but how you live, work, and connect with the world around you? In this illuminating lecture, internationally recognized sleep expert Nancy Rothstein explores the science, rhythms, and restorative power of sleep, revealing why it […]
At Ease Book Club: Chasing the Daylight, by Joanna Rakowski In celebration of Women's History Month, the At Ease program is launching our 2026 At Ease book club with a story from a women Veteran. We will examine Joanna Rakowski's unique story and explore our own personal identities and how the military community has shaped […]
The Woods as Freedom: Hidden Black Nature Stories The Woods as Freedom: Hidden Black Nature Stories is an interactive virtual webinar that uncovers powerful, often untold stories of how the natural world shaped Black survival, resistance, and liberation. While the woods are often remembered as sites of danger during slavery, they were also places of […]
Water(color) for the Soul: Sounds of the Prairie (Visit 2) Returning in 2026, Black Moon Trio once again invites Veterans and their family members to create and perform their own original musical compositions in Water(color) for the Soul: Sounds of the Prairie. Grounded in the ecology and literary traditions of the prairie, this program explores how […]
