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.
Enriching Life Retrospective For over a decade, Brushwood Center has had the pleasure and privilege of being the home of the Heeyoung Kim Botanical Art Academy. Now that Heeyoung has announced that she will be moving away later this year and her classes at Brushwood are ending, we take a moment to look back. In […]
At Ease in Nature: Nature Holds Our Stories The Exhibition: 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 […]
The 43rd Annual Smith Nature Symposium Awards Dinner Reimagine our place in nature and join us to celebrate the environmental leadership of Karenna Gore at the the 43rd Annual Smith Nature Symposium Awards Dinner. The Smith Nature Symposium Awards Dinner is Brushwood Center’s largest fundraising event of the year, and all funds raised from the evening […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Celestial Nature and Forest Therapy: Hunter Moon Forest bathing is a guided experience that works to mend the relationships humans have with themselves, the concept of time, their communities, and their environment. It is a practice focused on remembering reciprocity by connecting to our senses through the natural world. Join Jess Rodriguez, certified Nature and […]
Nature Book Club: October 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/or 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 October book is […]
