Call for Art for "Pollinators in Action: Flowering Journeys" Exhibit at Mayslake Peabody Estate

Submissions due Feb. 1 – April 15 for exhibit that runs May 6 – June 29

Artists are invited to submit artwork Feb. 1 – April 15 for “Pollinators in Action: Flowering Journeys,” an art exhibit featuring pollinators May 6 – June 29 at Mayslake Peabody Estate at 1717 W. 31st St. in Oak Brook.

The exhibit is designed to showcase these easily overlooked but vital critters through eye-catching works of art. The exhibit will also feature fun facts about pollinators to help visitors connect the beauty of pollinators to the critical role they play in our ecosystem.

“You might not stop to admire a beetle on the sidewalk, but a stunning painting of a beetle might catch your eye,” said Mayslake heritage interpreter Kendra Strubhart, who is curating the exhibit. “The show is meant to encourage our community to celebrate the actions of all pollinators.”

The exhibit is a collaborative initiative between the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and the DuPage Monarch Project. It’s part of the Forest Preserve District’s effort to highlight pollinators through programs, hikes, lectures and performances April – June 2020.

Artists are encouraged to show some diversity in their submissions “Animals are not the only means of pollination,” Strubhart said. “If someone is inspired by how the wind carries pollen, we want to see what a work of art by that person looks like.”

Artists can submit work by filling out an online application form. Questions? Contact Shannon Burns at sburns@dupageforest.org.

Guidelines for submissions include:

● Artwork should represent the artists’ interpretation of the theme “Pollinators in Action: Flowering Journeys.”

● Subject matter should be DuPage- or Illinois-inspired.

● Participants should be Illinois residents.

● Subject matter must be appropriate for all ages.

● Artwork must be hangable.

● Artists must be able to drop off their artwork on May 4 between 6 and 8 p.m. and pick up their artwork on June 29 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The DuPage Monarch Project is a countywide effort by the DuPage Forest Preserve District, Conservation Foundation, Sierra Club’s River Prairie Group and Greater DuPage Wild Ones to provide education about monarchs and increase suitable monarch habitat in DuPage County.

2020 Dates to Remember

Feb. 1 – April 15: Online submissions due

May 4, 6 – 8 p.m.: Artwork drop off Mayslake Peabody Estate
1717 W. 31st St., Oak Brook

May 6 – June 29: Gallery hours
Monday – Friday Noon – 3 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

May 7, 6 – 8 p.m.:
Artist reception

June 29, 6 – 8 p.m.:
Artwork pick up