BASE: Create & Sip - Smashed Dish Mosaics with Julia Kemerer #2
2026-02-19 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
BASE: Create & Sip – Smashed Dish Mosaics with Julia Kemerer

A second night, due to popular demand!

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, and enjoy the company of fellow art enthusiasts in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

This month’s class will be led by Brushwood’s Director of Art and Administration, Julia Kemerer, who will teach us to repurpose broken dishes into beautiful mosaics. Everyone’s project will be unique, and creativity is highly encouraged. We will have a variety of materials available to use for your project, but if you have something of your own you would like to bring and try to incorporate into your artwork, you are welcome to bring it!

Everyone’s project will be unique. No experience necessary, all skill levels are welcome.

What to Bring:

Your favorite beverage (alcohol is allowed for those 21 +)

Some snacks to enjoy as you immerse yourself in the creative process

Your friends (make sure they register!)

Any extra supplies you want to incorporate into your project (Optional! We have lots of supplies!)

Questions? Please contact Director of Public Programs and Music, Parker Nelson at pnelson@brushwoodcenter.org$20/person. Please register by February 17. BYOB.

register

Health Lectures with Dr. Jennifer Ron & Dr. Lauren Towle
2026-02-21 10:00 - 11:00
Lectures with Dr. Jennifer Ron & Dr. Lauren Towle

Healing Cancer From Within

An Integrative & Naturopathic Medicine Approachwith Dr. Jennifer Ron, MD, FACEP, ABOIM

This lecture explores how integrative and naturopathic medicine can support the body’s innate capacity for healing during and after a cancer diagnosis. Dr. Jennifer Ron brings together conventional medical expertise and holistic care to discuss nutrition, mind-body practices, lifestyle medicine, and evidence-based complementary therapies that work alongside standard cancer treatments.

—

Stress and Cortisol

Resetting Your HPA Axis for Resilience and Balancewith Dr. Lauren Towle, MD, FMCP-M

Chronic stress can quietly disrupt hormones, energy levels, sleep, and overall wellbeing. In this accessible and informative lecture, Dr. Lauren Towle explains how cortisol and the HPA axis function—and what happens when they become dysregulated. Drawing from functional medicine and clinical practice, she offers practical tools for restoring balance through nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress-reduction techniques.

Register to attend

Joyful! A Celebration of Black History Month
2026-02-22 12:30 - 15:00 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
Joyful! A Celebration of Black History Month

Culinary Experience- 12:30 pm, Concert- 2:00 pm

Back by popular demand, Brushwood Center hosts an immersive Black History Month experience that brings together music, storytelling, and food as powerful vessels of cultural memory and celebration. This special event honors the richness, resilience, and creativity of Black artistic traditions, inviting audiences to engage with history not only as something remembered, but as something felt and shared.

Angela Walker, a U.S. Navy Veteran and jazz vocalist, curates a musical afternoon sharing examples of stories that speak across generations and resonate in the present moment. The program weaves sound and story into a collective reflection on Black artistry as both a historical force and a living, evolving expression.

Complementing the performance is a curated Culinary Experience by Jeff Williams, whose dishes reflect the deep connections between food, culture, and identity. Thoughtfully prepared and richly inspired, the culinary component extends the storytelling beyond the stage, offering flavors that echo the themes of the evening and invite conversation, connection, and reflection.

The Culinary Experience will begin at 12:30 pm, the concert at 2:00 pm

Together, performance and cuisine create a multi-sensory celebration of Black history honoring tradition, elevating contemporary voices, and fostering community in the shared spirit of discovery and appreciation.

Culinary Experience Menu

Fried ChickenCollard Greens with Smoked MeatMac and Cheese DressingCorn Bread

RESERVE YOUR TICKETS

Watercolor Painting for Women Veterans and Families
2026-02-26 18:30 - 20:00, 2026-03-26 18:30 - 20:00
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. Materials will be sent via Amazon, you must register a week beforehand to receive materials.

If registering the day before or of the event, please have your own materials at home – watercolor paint, paper, pencil.

Activity expectation is sitting.

Available Accommodations: No language interpretation available. Virtual Class.

REGIster

Nature Book Club: February
2026-02-28 10:00 - 11:30 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
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 be To Speak for the Trees To Speak for the Trees: My Life’s Journey from Ancient Celtic Wisdom to a Healing Vision of the Forest by botanist and biochemist Diana Beresford-Kroeger.

Diana Beresford-Kroeger–a world-recognized botanist and medical biochemist–has revolutionized our understanding of the natural world with her startling insights into the hidden life of trees. In this riveting memoir, she uncovers the roots of her discoveries in her extraordinary childhood in Ireland. Soon after, her brilliant mind bloomed into an illustrious scientific career that melds the intricacies of the natural world with the truths of traditional Celtic wisdom.

To Speak for the Trees uniquely blends the story of Beresford-Kroeger’s incredible life and her outstanding achievement as a scientist. It elegantly shows us how forests can not only heal us as people but can also help save the planet.

REGISTER

BASE: Open Art Workshop with Jerry Loza
2026-02-28 10:00 - 15:00 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
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 who just wants to try something out in a low pressure environment, or the family looking for a fun kids’ activity to fill their afternoon – this workshop is for you!

February Artist of the Month Jerry Loza will be our guest artist. Jerry served in the U.S. Marines from 1984-1988. Drawing has become part of his mental wellness practice. “When I need to get away from reality, I can 100% focus on my drawing,” he says. A digital artist, he draws using an app on his phone, whenever he needs to decompress and manage stress. (You may recognize Jerry’s work from At Ease in Nature at Brushwood, where he’s exhibited his art with other Veterans and members of the Military community.) Stop by to learn from Jerry!

WHEN DOES IT HAPPEN? 10am-3pm, the last Saturday of every month (no meetings in November and December 2025). Come anytime during the day, and stay as long as you’d like.

WHAT DOES IT COST? Workspace, use of our tools and any instruction or assistance you need is free; supplies from BASE are “pay what you want” (free to teachers and organizations).

WHAT CAN I MAKE? Almost* anything! Come with a project you want to work on in mind, or pick one from our list of project ideas for all ages and abilities. You are welcome to bring your own supplies and tools, or use ones from BASE. You can work independently, or work with an instructor. Here are just a few ideas of what you can learn and do at the Open Art Workshop:

Watercolor · Embroidery · Mosaics · Book Binding · Charcoal Drawing · Knitting & Crochet · Decoupage · Sewing & Mending · Jewelry Making · Plein Air Painting · Basket Weaving · Picture Framing · Card Making · Kids Art Projects · Block Printing · Stained Glass · Acrylic Painting · Costume Making · Weaving · Collage · UpCycling · Gift Wrapping · Sculpture · Upholstery · Colored Pencil · Wreath Making · Beading · Rubber Stamps · Oil Painting · Quilting · Pastels · Macramé · Miniatures

*We will do our best to accommodate all types of projects, but there may be limitations on what is possible on a particular day due to limitations of space, supplies or tools (supplies and tools are mostly donated, and what is available is always changing), or due to a particular project being too messy or dangerous to be done in a public space. If a particular project cannot be worked on during the Workshop that day, we will do our best to help you figure out how to proceed on a future Workshop date or on your own. Since this Workshop is open to ALL topics and media, we won’t be experts on everything, but we can definitely help you get started.

If you have questions about Open Art Workshop or BASE, please contact Julia Kemerer at 224-633-2426 or jkemerer@brushwoodcenter.org.

REGISter

Opening Reception - Rest and Recharge: Practicing Radical Self Care in an Uncertain World
2026-03-01 13:00 - 15:00 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
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, many linger as ambient noise, subtly shaping our thoughts, elevating stress, and eroding our capacity for presence and rest.

This exhibition acknowledges the quiet toll of that overload and offers a gentle counterbalance. Through visual art, space, and silence, Rest and Recharge creates an environment that encourages slowing down, tuning inward, and reconnecting with rhythms that sustain us rather than deplete us. The works on view explore rest not as withdrawal or passivity, but as an active, necessary practice—one rooted in attention, care, and renewal.

Visitors are invited to consider their own relationship to rest. What brings a sense of grounding or ease? What practices, places, or moments allow the body to soften and the mind to breathe? Set within the natural surroundings of Brushwood Center, the exhibition becomes both a refuge and a prompt—an opportunity to step away from urgency and to remember that rest is not a luxury, but an essential part of resilience and creativity.

Join us for an opening reception and artist panel discussion on March 1, 2026, at 1:00 pm.

Register for the Opening Reception on March 1

Rest and Recharge: Practicing Radical Self Care in an Uncertain World
2026-03-01 13:00 - 2026-04-05 15:00 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
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 ambient noise, subtly shaping our thoughts, elevating stress, and eroding our capacity for presence and rest.

This exhibition acknowledges the quiet toll of that overload and offers a gentle counterbalance. Through visual art, space, and silence, Rest and Recharge creates an environment that encourages slowing down, tuning inward, and reconnecting with rhythms that sustain us rather than deplete us. The works on view explore rest not as withdrawal or passivity, but as an active, necessary practice—one rooted in attention, care, and renewal.

Visitors are invited to consider their own relationship to rest. What brings a sense of grounding or ease? What practices, places, or moments allow the body to soften and the mind to breathe? Set within the natural surroundings of Brushwood Center, the exhibition becomes both a refuge and a prompt—an opportunity to step away from urgency and to remember that rest is not a luxury, but an essential part of resilience and creativity.

Learn More

Veterans Acrylic Paint & Sip Nights
2026-03-11 18:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-08 18:30 - 21:00 | American Legion Cicero Post 96, 5820 W 35th St, Cicero, Illinois, 60804
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 snack items will be available for free.Brought to you by Brushwood Center’s At Ease Program, Veteran Art Tribe, and the American Legion Cicero Post #96!​Registration is required.

REGISTER

She Was with Artemisia Vocal Trio
2026-03-14 13:30 - 15:00
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. These stories are sung to life through a mix of folkloric vocal traditions and original music created by the trio, alongside four newly commissioned works by living female composers.

Through richly textured vocal music, She Was gives space to narratives that have often been overlooked or carried quietly. The repertoire explores themes of remembrance, identity, grief, joy, and transformation, inviting listeners to consider the many ways women shape and sustain communities, families, and cultural memory.

Enhancing the event is a culinary offering by Chef Lindsay Johnson, whose work brings an additional layer of care, creativity, and nourishment to the experience. Thoughtfully crafted and seasonally inspired, her contribution engages the senses beyond sound and transforms the performance into a shared moment of listening, tasting, and presence.

Presented at Brushwood Center in celebration of Women’s History Month, this interdisciplinary program reflects the power of women’s artistry across mediums. Set within Brushwood’s natural surroundings, She Was becomes an intimate gathering space that honors women’s histories while celebrating the living, evolving expressions of women’s voices today.

Doors open at 1:30 pm (small bites from Chef Lindsay Johnson available)

Concert begins at 2:00 pm

Get Your Tickets

Radical Hope in the Woods: Remembering the Woods - Ancestral Memory Circle
2026-03-16 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual
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, mindfulness, and shared dialogue, participants will explore how the woods served as places of refuge, resistance, and spiritual connection for enslaved ancestors. Drawing from slave narratives, folklore, and oral histories, this experience reframes nature as sacred space of memory, wisdom, and liberation.

Participants will leave this virtual Lunch and Learn with a renewed sense of connection to the land, deeper awareness of ancestral resilience, and an invitation to continue reclaiming nature as a space for rest, belonging, and radical hope.

Together, we will:

-Reflect on ancestral relationships with land and survival

-Engage in grounding practices that reconnect us to nature

-Explore folklore and stories that carried hope and freedom coded

-Begin a journey of collective healing rooted in remembrance

Register

Special thanks to support from Healing Illinois.

Healing Illinois is a racial healing initiative of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in partnership with the Field Foundation of IL.

Combat Poetry: Poetry Workshop for Military Service Members & Veterans
2026-03-16 19:00 - 20:30
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 veteran armed with a BA in English and Creative Writing. He’s also the author of Blast Radius, a collection of poetry that examines his experiences with combat and PTSD. This workshop is open for Veterans and military service members of all levels. Don’t worry if you are new to poetry. Come find your poetic voice! This is event is open to combat and non-combat veterans and service members.

Register for the Zoom

Art Impact Project
2026-03-17 10:00 - 11:30 | ​Mundelein Park & Recreation Community Center, 1401 N Midlothian Rd, Mundelein, IL, 60060, United States
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 and objectives.

Parking is available outside of the building. Ask for the Veteran art program once in the building.

Activity Expectation: Indoor, sitting, cushions available Sensory Expectations: Indoor environment and forest landscape, very little noise, calming area, natural area sounds Available Accommodations: No language interpretation available.Questions? Please contact Veterans Program Specialist, Jessica Klinge at jklinge@brushwoodcenter.org.

REGISTER

BASE: Create & Sip - Felt Flowers with Julia Kemerer
2026-03-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
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, and enjoy the company of fellow art enthusiasts in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

We will use materials and supplies from BASE (the Brushwood Art Supply Exchange) that will include a mix of new materials alongside the repurposed and reimagined. Everyone’s project will be unique, and creativity is highly encouraged.

​At the end of the class, you’ll leave with your own handmade felt flower bouquet, ready to brighten up any space in your home or serve as a heartfelt gift for a loved one. Plus, you’ll take home newfound skills and inspiration to continue your crafting journey beyond the class.

We’ll have a variety of supplies and tools available. No experience necessary, all skill levels are welcome.

What to Bring:

Your favorite beverage (alcohol is allowed for those 21 +)

Some snacks to enjoy as you immerse yourself in the creative process

Your friends (make sure they register!)

Any extra supplies you want to incorporate into your project (Optional! We have lots of supplies!)

Questions? Please contact Director of Public Programs and Music, Parker Nelson at pnelson@brushwoodcenter.org$20/person. Please register by March 15. BYOB.

register

At Ease Book Club: Chasing the Daylight
2026-03-23 18:00 - 19:00, 2026-03-30 18:00 - 19:00, 2026-04-06 18:00 - 19:00, 2026-04-13 18:00 - 19:00
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 them.

What is it like to be part of the world’s most powerful armed forces at the dawn of the 21st century? Does a military tale have to be about the men going to war? You’ll find out in Chasing the Daylight: One Woman’s Journey to Becoming a U.S. Army Intelligence Officer. Joanna is a fragile, romantic, former ballerina. After a painful rift with her beloved friend and mentor, she joins the U.S. Army. Her dream is to become an Intelligence Officer. She faces a formidable task, but she embarks on a four-year journey to accomplish her goal. The story whirls us into the center of the rigorous army training and transports us into the reality that only less than one percent of the U.S. population would ever experience.

Questions? Please contact Veterans Program Specialist, Jessica Klinge at jklinge@brushwoodcenter.org.

Register here

Water(color) for the Soul: Sounds of the Prairie (Visit 1)
2026-03-27 10:00 - 11:30 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
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 our own root systems run deep to withstand tumultuous storms and provide support in shaping individual and collective identity.

Using resources from Brushwood Center’s At Ease and Art Supply Exchange programs, Veterans participate in a six-week graphic score and poetry composition residency culminating in the creation of 15 original pieces of music performed and recorded by professional musicians.

Black Moon Trio is honored to again be joined by poet and creativity expert, Kathryn Haydon and world-renowned botanical artist, Heeyoung Kim and members of her Botanical Art Academy. Together, they help provide expert insight on poetry, literature, and artistic methods and techniques inspired by prairie ecosystems designed to frame participant’s compositions.

This is a six-week program–each week builds on previous work.

This program has been generously funded by the National Endowment for the Arts’ Creative Forces initiative.

REGISTER HERE

Nature Book Club: March
2026-03-28 10:00 - 11:30 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
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 be Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing, by Lili Taylor

Through a series of beautifully crafted essays, Taylor shares her intimate encounters with the birds that have captured her heart and imagination—from tracking flitting woodpeckers through oak trees to spotting majestic blue jays perched on a Manhattan fire escape; from the exhilaration of witnessing a migratory flock from the top of the Empire State Building to the quiet joy of observing a nest of hatchlings in her own backyard. Through simply paying attention to birds, Lili has been shown a parallel world that is wider and deeper, one of constant change and movement, full of life and the will to survive.

REGISTER

BASE: Open Art Workshop
2026-03-28 10:00 - 15:00 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
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 who just wants to try something out in a low pressure environment, or the family looking for a fun kids’ activity to fill their afternoon – this workshop is for you!

WHEN DOES IT HAPPEN? 10am-3pm, the last Saturday of every month (no meetings in November and December 2025). Come anytime during the day, and stay as long as you’d like.

WHAT DOES IT COST? Workspace, use of our tools and any instruction or assistance you need is free; supplies from BASE are “pay what you want” (free to teachers and organizations).

WHAT CAN I MAKE? Almost* anything! Come with a project you want to work on in mind, or pick one from our list of project ideas for all ages and abilities. You are welcome to bring your own supplies and tools, or use ones from BASE. You can work independently, or work with an instructor. Here are just a few ideas of what you can learn and do at the Open Art Workshop:

Watercolor · Embroidery · Mosaics · Book Binding · Charcoal Drawing · Knitting & Crochet · Decoupage · Sewing & Mending · Jewelry Making · Plein Air Painting · Basket Weaving · Picture Framing · Card Making · Kids Art Projects · Block Printing · Stained Glass · Acrylic Painting · Costume Making · Weaving · Collage · UpCycling · Gift Wrapping · Sculpture · Upholstery · Colored Pencil · Wreath Making · Beading · Rubber Stamps · Oil Painting · Quilting · Pastels · Macramé · Miniatures

*We will do our best to accommodate all types of projects, but there may be limitations on what is possible on a particular day due to limitations of space, supplies or tools (supplies and tools are mostly donated, and what is available is always changing), or due to a particular project being too messy or dangerous to be done in a public space. If a particular project cannot be worked on during the Workshop that day, we will do our best to help you figure out how to proceed on a future Workshop date or on your own. Since this Workshop is open to ALL topics and media, we won’t be experts on everything, but we can definitely help you get started.

If you have questions about Open Art Workshop or BASE, please contact Julia Kemerer at 224-633-2426 or jkemerer@brushwoodcenter.org.

REGISter

The Nature of Sleep with Nancy Rothstein, MBA, The Sleep Ambassador®
2026-03-28 11:30 - 12:30 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
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 is foundational to physical health, emotional resilience, cognitive clarity, and overall well-being. With warmth, clarity, and evidence-based insight, Rothstein unpacks how stress, light exposure, habits, and modern lifestyles impact our natural sleep cycles—and what we can do to restore balance.

Participants will learn:

How sleep affects immunity, mood, memory, and long-term health

The role of circadian rhythms and how nature influences sleep-wake cycles

Practical strategies to improve sleep quality without medication

How to create a restorative evening routine rooted in environmental awareness

In alignment with Brushwood Center’s mission to cultivate wellness through nature, this program highlights the profound connection between natural light, daily rhythms, and restorative rest. Attendees will leave empowered with tools to reclaim sleep as a pillar of vitality—nurturing both personal health and a deeper relationship with the natural world.

Ideal for anyone seeking to improve sleep, reduce stress, and enhance daily performance, The Nature of Sleep offers practical wisdom grounded in science and inspired by nature.

Register

Radical Hope in the Woods: The Woods as Freedom - Hidden Black Nature Stories
2026-03-31 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual
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 strategy, nourishment, spiritual refuge, and coded communication. This session explores the layered meaning of the forest through history, folklore, and cultural memory. This webinar invites participants to reimagine nature as a living archive of resilience and resistance. It is both an educational and healing-centered experience that helps participants reconnect with land as a source of identity, strength, and freedom.

Participants will explore:

-The role of the woods in slave narratives and escape routes

-Folklore traditions such as the Drinking Gourd and High John the Conqueror

-Nature as source of survival knowledge, medicine, and direction

-How ancestral relationships with land inform modern healing practices

Register

Special thanks to support from Healing Illinois.

Healing Illinois is a racial healing initiative of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in partnership with the Field Foundation of IL.

Water(color) for the Soul: Sounds of the Prairie (Visit 2)
2026-04-03 10:00 - 11:30 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
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 our own root systems run deep to withstand tumultuous storms and provide support in shaping individual and collective identity.

Using resources from Brushwood Center’s At Ease and Art Supply Exchange programs, Veterans participate in a six-week graphic score and poetry composition residency culminating in the creation of 15 original pieces of music performed and recorded by professional musicians.

Black Moon Trio is honored to again be joined by poet and creativity expert, Kathryn Haydon and world-renowned botanical artist, Heeyoung Kim and members of her Botanical Art Academy. Together, they help provide expert insight on poetry, literature, and artistic methods and techniques inspired by prairie ecosystems designed to frame participant’s compositions.

This is a six-week program–each week builds on previous work.

This program has been generously funded by the National Endowment for the Arts’ Creative Forces initiative.

REGISTER HERE

Water(color) for the Soul: Sounds of the Prairie (Visit 3)
2026-04-10 10:00 - 11:30 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
Water(color) for the Soul: Sounds of the Prairie (Visit 3)

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 our own root systems run deep to withstand tumultuous storms and provide support in shaping individual and collective identity.

Using resources from Brushwood Center’s At Ease and Art Supply Exchange programs, Veterans participate in a six-week graphic score and poetry composition residency culminating in the creation of 15 original pieces of music performed and recorded by professional musicians.

Black Moon Trio is honored to again be joined by poet and creativity expert, Kathryn Haydon and world-renowned botanical artist, Heeyoung Kim and members of her Botanical Art Academy. Together, they help provide expert insight on poetry, literature, and artistic methods and techniques inspired by prairie ecosystems designed to frame participant’s compositions.

This is a six-week program–each week builds on previous work.

This program has been generously funded by the National Endowment for the Arts’ Creative Forces initiative.

REGISTER HERE

Opening Reception: Healing Together: The Artwork of TIERRA
2026-04-12 13:00 - 15:00 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
Opening Reception: Healing Together: The Artwork of TIERRA

Healing Together: The Artwork of TIERRA features artwork created by facilitators of and participants in the TIERRA program—Transforming Internal Experiences for Resilience and Restoration through Acceptance—a research-informed, nature-based training program that supports Community Health Workers serving communities across Lake County, Illinois.

TIERRA equips Community Health Workers with tools to address the interconnected challenges of trauma, health disparities, and environmental injustice. Rooted in mindfulness, restorative practices, and the healing presence of nature, the program creates space for participants to explore their own experiences while strengthening their capacity to care for others.

Through visual art, reflection, and creative expression, participants in this program have translated their personal and professional journeys into powerful works that speak to resilience, healing, and connection to the land. The pieces on display offer insight into the inner landscapes of those working at the front lines of community health. These are individuals who navigate complex social and environmental challenges while supporting the wellbeing of others.

Created during guided sessions that integrated nature observation, contemplative practice, and artistic exploration, the artworks reflect themes of renewal, rootedness, and collective care. Plants, seasonal cycles, and the natural rhythms of the landscape serve as both inspiration and metaphor for growth and restoration.

By sharing these works with the public, the exhibition honors the vital role Community Health Workers play in building healthier, more equitable communities.

Schedule

1:00 pm – Exhibition Opens – Refreshments Available

1:30 pm – Artist Panel

3:00 pm – End of Reception

RSVP TO THE OPENING RECEPTION

Healing Together: The Artwork of TIERRA
2026-04-12 13:00 - 2026-05-03 15:00 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
Healing Together: The Artwork of TIERRA

Healing Together: The Artwork of TIERRA features artwork created by facilitators of and participants in the TIERRA program—Transforming Internal Experiences for Resilience and Restoration through Acceptance—a research-informed, nature-based training program that supports Community Health Workers serving communities across Lake County, Illinois.

TIERRA equips Community Health Workers with tools to address the interconnected challenges of trauma, health disparities, and environmental injustice. Rooted in mindfulness, restorative practices, and the healing presence of nature, the program creates space for participants to explore their own experiences while strengthening their capacity to care for others.

Through visual art, reflection, and creative expression, participants in this program have translated their personal and professional journeys into powerful works that speak to resilience, healing, and connection to the land. The pieces on display offer insight into the inner landscapes of those working at the front lines of community health. These are individuals who navigate complex social and environmental challenges while supporting the wellbeing of others.

Created during guided sessions that integrated nature observation, contemplative practice, and artistic exploration, the artworks reflect themes of renewal, rootedness, and collective care. Plants, seasonal cycles, and the natural rhythms of the landscape serve as both inspiration and metaphor for growth and restoration.

By sharing these works with the public, the exhibition honors the vital role Community Health Workers play in building healthier, more equitable communities.

Learn more about the exhibition

BASE: Create & Sip - Painted Umbrellas
2026-04-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, 21850 Riverwoods Rd., Riverwoods, IL, 60015, United States
BASE: Create & Sip – Painted Umbrellas

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, and enjoy the company of fellow art enthusiasts in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

This month’s class will be led by Brushwood’s Director of Art and Administration, Julia Kemerer. Students will spend a fun night creating and leave with a one-of-a-kind hand-painted umbrella! Plus, you’ll take home newfound skills and inspiration to continue your crafting journey beyond the class.

Everyone’s project will be unique, and creativity is highly encouraged. We will have a variety of materials available to use for your project, but if you have something of your own you would like to bring and try to incorporate into your artwork, you are welcome to bring it!

No experience necessary, all skill levels are welcome.

What to Bring:

Your favorite beverage (alcohol is allowed for those 21 +)

Some snacks to enjoy as you immerse yourself in the creative process

Your friends (make sure they register!)

Any extra supplies you want to incorporate into your project (Optional! We have lots of supplies!)

Questions? Please contact Director of Public Programs and Music, Parker Nelson at pnelson@brushwoodcenter.org$20/person. Please register by April 13. BYOB.

register
