Artists from Project Onward announce the virtual opening of Fresh Air, a virtual exhibition featuring Chicagoland natural treasures, Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods and sites within the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Fresh Air captures the human yearning for connection to the outside, after months of shelter-in-place in Illinois and around the country.

“I enjoyed painting a natural landscape. The piece I made captures the serene peace of an early morning,” said participating artist Fernando Ramirez.

Prior to the spread of COVID-19, the artists of Project Onward, a nonprofit studio and gallery for professional artists with mental and developmental disabilities, visited Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods and the Trailside Museum of Natural History in Thatcher Woods to find inspiration in nature. This collaboration gave them an exciting opportunity to bask in the natural surroundings, learn about local wildlife, and experience close-up encounters with the animals on site. It was a memorable experience that fueled the creation of Fresh Air, a collection of artistic interpretations of Chicago’s habitats.

“The Forest Preserves of Cook County is excited to be partnering with Project Onward and the Brushwood Center on this exhibition inspired by our local forest preserves. We hope people take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to experience nature in their own homes and that the work of these talented artists serves as an inspiration to explore nature through art,” stated Arnold Randall, General Superintendent of the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

Brushwood Center, host of the online exhibition, hopes that the artwork will encourage viewers to consider the importance of local nature for both human health and ecological health.

“Research shows that time outside is essential for human health, particularly in the midst of this pandemic. Visiting forest preserves and parks actually increases our immune system strength and emotional resilience, in addition to providing critical habitat for plants and wildlife,” says Catherine Game, Executive Director of Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods.

Fresh Air is on exhibit at www.brushwoodcenter.org through August 9, 2020. All of the artwork is for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Project Onward.

The featured artists from Project Onward include: Steven Albecher, Franklin Armstrong, Alfred Banks, Dijon Barrett, John Behnke, Cherylle Booker, Ken Bortman, Louis Demarco, William Douglas, Safiya Hameed, Jason Harris, David Hence, Adam Hines, David A. Holt, Michael Hopkins, Janno Juguilon, R.J. Juguilon, Coral Kappel, Blake Lenoir, Molly McGrath, Allen McNair, Jack Moore, Jacqueline Cousins Oliva, Fernando Ramirez, Luke Shemroske, Ryan Tepich, Ricky Willis, and Sereno Wilson.

Official Website

More events on this date

Tags: Adam Hines, Alfred Banks, Allen McNair, Blake Lenoir, Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, Cherylle Booker, Coral Kappel, David A. Holt, David Hence, Dijon Barrett, Fernando Ramirez, Franklin Armstrong, Jack Moore, Jacqueline Cousins Oliva, Janno Juguilon, Jason Harris, John Behnke, Ken Bortman, Louis Demarco, Luke Shemroske, Michael Hopkins, Molly McGrath, R.J. Juguilon, Ricky Willis, Ryan Tepich, Safiya Hameed, Sereno Wilson, Steven Albecher, Trailside Museum of Natural History in Thatcher Woods, William Douglas