Welcome!
PROGRAMS/MEETINGS on the 2nd Wed. of the Month *unless otherwise indicated:
Important note and time update: In an effort to have adequate time for our speakers and be able to clean-up and exit the library before 9 pm, our meetings now start at 6:30 pm with our speaker/programs to begin promptly at 7 pm. If you would like time to socialize before the meeting, please plan to arrive at 6:30 and we will be starting our announcements at 6:45 pm. Back of the Hall Voting will start at 6:40 pm.)
2026 Winter/Spring Programs:
(Registration links for Jan-Mar are below with full descriptions)
Jan. 14, 2026-Annual Show and Tell with LAG Members, Guests welcome!
February 11, 2026- Using Your Artistic Sense for Better Photo Images with Hank Erdmann
March 11, 2026-Metal Sculpture with Steve Kost
April 8, 2026-Encaustic with Sarah Rehmer
May 13, 2026-Patterns of Movement to Enhance your Creativity with Elaine Gotfryd-Noonan
CREATE AND CHAT: ARTISTS MEET-UP at Homer Township Public Library
2025 Upcoming Dates on the 3rd Mondays unless otherwise indicated:
Dec 15, 2025
Time: 1-3 pm
2026 Create and Chat, 1 pm-3 pm, 3rd or 4th Mondays: (no registration needed): January 26, 2026*, February 23, 2026*, March 23, 2026*, April 20, 2026, May 18, 2026
*These are on the 4th Mondays.
Contact us if you would like more information!
Artists of all kinds are welcome to join our monthly meetup group! Meet other local artists (including some from the Lemont Artists Guild), discuss what you’re working on, and spend time creating alongside others. Bring your current project or art supplies to find inspiration & start a new one! The group meets from 1-3pm. New folks – and all art mediums – welcome!
While this is not an instructional class, the gathering of artists can help inspire you and give you feedback or ideas on your own artwork. Or, if you haven't been able to create but want to start, join us and see what others are making. Seeing others create can be just what you need to get your own project started!
No registration required; just show up!
Image copyright Hank Erdmann
The Lemont Artists Guild Meetings are open to all, you do not have to be a Lemont Artists Guild member to attend.
We hope you can attend our programs at the library which are free and open to the public!
Our meetings take place IN PERSON at Homer Township Public Library
14320 W. 151st Street, Homer Glen, IL 60491, 708-301-7908
We now start our meetings at 6:30 pm with our speaker/programs to begin promptly at 7 pm. If you would like time to socialize before the meeting, please plan to arrive at 6:30 and we will be starting our announcements at 6:45 pm. Back of the Hall Voting will start at 6:40 pm.
Note on those registered for our programs: We know things happen, so, if you have registered for a program, but can not attend, please call the library and cancel your registration-708-301-7908 to allow for others on the waitlist to be able to attend. Thank you.
Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at 6:30 pm
Annual Show and Tell with Lemont Artists Guild
Registration Link: https://www.homerlibrary.org/LAGshow2026
Registration for the Jan. 14 meeting will open on Monday, Dec. 8 at 8:30 am.
Attendees at this meeting will have an opportunity to share their creative endeavors, hear constructive suggestions, meet other artists, and/or share their creative plans in 2026! Attendees can also just watch and listen to what others are up to in their art worlds.
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 6:30 pm
Using your Artistic Sense for Better Photo Images with Hank Erdmann
Registration Link: https://www.homerlibrary.org/sense2026
Registration for the Feb. 11 meeting will open on Monday, January 12 at 8:30 am.
On February 11, 2026, in partnership with the Homer Township Public Library, the Lemont Artists Guild is pleased to present, at the library, Hank Erdmann who will discuss using one’s human and artistic senses to make better photographs and also achieve greater creativity and creative composition in photography. Hank Erdmann is a photographer, photographic educator and writer who resides in Will County, Illinois. He has photographed throughout North America, making the Midwest his primary geographic area of interest. A love of history, especially the maritime history of the Great Lakes, kindles a special interest in the ports, shorelines, islands, hardwood forests, prairies and other natural areas of Lakes Michigan and Superior and their surrounding environs.
His images explore two main genres. He uses line, shape, form, color, pattern, texture and movement in nature to create images that come from his soul through his eyes. He tries to capture the feeling he has at the time of seeing something that makes him want to photograph it. He also enjoys making photographs of the natural world that go beyond the literal interpretation, in more artistic or abstract statements as he is inspired by the photographer Freeman Patterson’s concepts of Photo Impressionism. He is constantly expanding on the “art of fixing a shadow” with over forty years of photographic exploration.” Hank currently serves on the Board of the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) and exhibits and is a board member at Gallery Seven in Lockport, IL. See his photography at https://hankphoto.photoshelter.com/gallery-list
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 6:30 pm
Metal Sculpture with Steve Kost
Registration Link: https://www.homerlibrary.org/metal2026
Registration for the March 11 meeting will open on Monday, February 9 at 8:30 am.
Steve Kost is a local artist who is also a United States Veteran and also worked as an Ironworker high above Chicago's city-scape. He creates "Upcycled" metal sculptures which came about originally from dismantling typewriters and sewing machines. He will talk about his "Metal Health Artwork," places he has displayed his sculptures, including the Library of Congress, and share his deep sense of purpose that comes with the healing power of creating art. Visit his website at .www.stevekost.com
Registration links and descriptions to follow (opens on the 2nd Monday of the prior month):
April 8, 2026-Encaustic with Sarah Rehmer
May 13, 2026-Patterns of Movement to Enhance your Creativity with Elaine Gotfryd-Noonan
Past Programs 2025
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Oil and Cold Wax Presentation with Joan Geary
On Nov. 12, 2025, in partnership with the Homer Township Public Library, the Lemont Artists Guild is pleased to present, at the library, talented Artist, Joan Geary, who will talk about her large scale artwork that is created with Oil and Cold Wax. Joan will bring samples of her work and demonstrate some oil and cold wax techniques she employs. Joan is a largely self-taught, abstract artist, and a native to Chicago. Using Oil and Cold Wax allows for the buildup of a rich history and patina through amassing layers of paint and excavation back through those layers. Luminosity and light have become trademarks of Joan's work, which explores color and shape inspired by nature and a connection to the divine.
Joan exhibits in galleries in Chicago and the Midwest area and has been featured in publications including The Chicago Tribune, The Doings, and a book titled Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts, and Conversations by Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin. She maintains a daily painting practice in her home studio in Willow Springs, IL. She looks forward to talking about this fluid way of creating art, showing us her artwork, and sharing her experiences in exhibiting this beautiful artwork! Learn more about Joan at http://www.joangearystudio.com/
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Your Artist Website Strategy: A Beginner's Guide to a Dynamic Web Presence with Becky Sciullo
Since our Oct. meeting will be done by the speaker via Zoom, you can attend in person and watch on screen in the meeting room, or attend via Zoom from home/remotely. So, there will be two links.
Here are the links to the October 8 registration pages:
WATCHING ON SCREEN IN-PERSON AT LIBRARY: https://www.homerlibrary.org/artistwebsite-inperson
WATCHING ON ZOOM REMOTELY: https://www.homerlibrary.org/artistwebsite-zoom
Registration for the Oct. 8 meeting will open on Monday, September 8 at 8:30 am.
On Oct. 8, 2025, in partnership with the Homer Township Public Library, the Lemont Artists Guild is pleased to present, at the library, Art marketing strategist, Becky Sciullo, who has designed this talk as a guide to those who are interested in learning the steps it takes to build a professional and effective online presence to showcase and sell their artwork. This will include considerations to think about before creating a website, why a website is important, and platforms for artists to build websites and the options that can go with them. Even if you are not ready to create a website or online presence, you can check out this program so you can get a feel for what is important. She will review considerations to take before creating a website, including defining your goals, understanding your audience, and planning your content. She will discuss platforms for artists to build websites—whether you're looking for an easy, drag-and-drop solution or a more customizable option. She will go over essential features your site should include, such as galleries, e-commerce capabilities, and contact information. You'll also discover how your website fits into your overall marketing strategy and how to integrate it with social media platforms to reach a broader audience. By the end of the session, you'll have a clear path to getting started in building your website, as well as having some tools and tips for successfully launching your art business online.
Becky Sciullo is an art marketing consultant and representative based in State College, PA. She helps visual artists with sales and marketing strategies. Her work in art marketing started in 2007 when she helped her father turn a part-time art pursuit into a successful business. They were written about in The Wall Street Journal within a year of her working with him. After receiving requests from other artists for similar help, she started her business, Art Is An Advantage. She supports artists and creative organizations with web-based programs and one-on-one consulting. Becky also presents programs virtually and in person to artist organizations around the United States. To learn more, visit her website at www.artisan-advantage.com.
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Urban “Uglies” with Art Markers with Wes Douglas
Registration for the Sept. 10 meeting will open on Monday, August 11 at 8:30 am.
Art Director and Graphic Designer, Wes Douglas, will demonstrate sketching the environment around us, utilizing the fun of art markers in these sketches. These are sometimes called "Uglies" such as sketching a garbage can, paperclip holder, or even a pencil or pen! Come see what you can sketch right around you and learn about using some markers too! Wes is a career art director/graphic designer from Chicagoland and a former business owner of an innovation firm who always had a tendency towards illustration graphics and rendered a lot of his concepts by hand. Wes loves to sketch people on location and is a lifelong illustrator. Learn more about Wes at Facebook (look up Wes Douglas), Instagram: @wheels317, https://sketchnography.blogspot.com/ and https://www.dupageartleague.org/instructors/
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 6:30 pm (Rescheduled from being cancelled in Feb.):*
Pen and Ink on Napkins as a Traveling Journal with Robert Morris
The Lemont Artists Guild is pleased to present talented and local artist, Robert Morris, who will speak about his Pen and Ink Art on Napkins. Robert studied art and architecture at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana and at L’Ecole de Beaux Arts, Paris.
He currently shows work at Gallery Seven in downtown Lockport, IL. Robert has created this fine art of his by drawing spontaneous images of great architecture and picturesque villages (often times with a bottle of wine and baguette) while traveling in Europe. He refers to his work as “Architecture Serviette” which is homage to those wanderings and searching for direction and purpose.
He continues to create his imagery on napkins and it has various themes. Some of the images contain somewhat subtle references to stories within the subject including what inspires the artist, his hometown of Lockport, architecture such as government and municipalities, faith, churches, temples, fantasy and places he has enjoyed good food and wine. He will talk also about how he is transferring some of these images to watercolor paper and adding color to them. Come and see and hear all about Robert’s unique art on napkins!
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 6:30 pm: Collage and Mixed Media with Laura Lein Svencner
The Lemont Artists Guild is pleased to present creative and award winning artist, Laura Lein-Svencner, who will present the process of creating your own collage papers, assembling a collage with a tack iron and the application of an image transfer. She will bring samples of her work, papers she uses and will demonstrate how to create surface designs. This demonstration is a must-see if you are interested in beginning collage or have had some experience with collage!
Laura is an Abstract Mixed Media Collage Artist. She teaches collage with the “heat seal iron” method, fusing coated collage papers to many surfaces. She has taught many classes and workshops in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin and also currently teaches online classes. Laura is a National Award Winner and National Collage Society Signature member and co-founder of the Midwest Collage Society in which she is also a member. As a self-taught artist, Laura has been working in the medium of hand papermaking and collage for 30 years, learning and exploring all the ins and outs of paper itself. She primarily focuses on composition, layering, color and ability to create depth in her collage artwork. Her works have been published in many books by North Light Publishing, The Artist Magazine and The Professional Artist. Currently, Laura teaches her collage techniques, online, at Naperville Art League in Naperville, IL, and at Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oak Brook, Illinois. During the summer you’ll find her teaching collage workshops all around the Midwest. Her collages are also represented at Mainstreet Art Gallery in Lake Zurich IL. Laura’s artwork can be viewed online: https://www.lauralein-svencner.com, https://www.lonecrowstudio.com(teaching online studio) and she can be contacted at lonecrow4@gmail.com.
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Minute to Magnificent: Macro Photography using your Cell Phone with Nancy Uznanski
The Lemont Artists Guild is pleased to present, award winning photographer, Nancy Uznanski, who will help you to discover the art and play of using your cell phone to take captivating photos of “minute” or tiny things and making them appear magnificent and monumental. Get tips on the ease and creativity in photographing such things as a drop of rain on a flower petal, or taking a close-up of the "Man in the Moon" on a dark night. Surprise yourself and your friends with the wonderful pictures you can create after you attend this program!
Originally a teacher by trade, Nancy joined her husband, Bill, in a formal study of photography, both graduating with honors from the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL. A professional photographer for more than 30 years, she is known for her touching portraits. In addition, she enjoys sharing details of the everyday environment through photographs. With a longtime interest in macro photography, she learned to use her mobile phone to take close up images while on the go.
Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 pm-CANCELLED DUE TO BAD WEATHER-changed to May 14, 2025
Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 6:30pm
Annual Show and Tell with Lemont Artists Guild
The Lemont Artists Guild is pleased to present Show and Tell, where all attendees at this meeting will have an opportunity to share their creative endeavors. This is a great opportunity to talk about what you are up to creatively, get some new ideas, constructive suggestions, meet other artists, and/or share about your plans for the future. You can also just watch and listen to what others are up to in their art worlds. If you would like, feel free to bring your current project/sketchbook/journal/etc. and anything else that you want to "show and tell" with others!
Past Programs:
2022
Figure Drawing
presented by Ellen Rottsolk
Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Recording to Follow soon! Check back at a later date.
On November 16, 2022, in partnership with the Homer Township Public Library, the Lemont Artists Guild is pleased to present, at the library, Ellen Rottsolk, who will give an interactive program on Figure Drawing. She will discuss the correlations that occur in the human figure, then put into practice, by drawing, some of these relationships and experience how they change and shift as the body moves. Please bring some drawing supplies you can utilize during her demonstration to watch and learn as you draw along with Ellen. These include a sketchbook or paper, charcoal and/or vine charcoal or black chalk, a kneaded eraser, a black pen, and markers and pencils if you like. Ellen will provide some extra vine charcoal and paper. Ellen believes drawing is a learned skill and there are important relationships between the body’s shapes that help us understand how to draw this form. She likes to use vine charcoal and charcoal as they smear to be able to achieve various levels of shading to enhance and bring to life the figure itself.
Ellen has Bachelors and Masters Degree in Art from Northern Illinois University. She has taught art in area high schools and now teaches fundamental drawing, figure drawing, portrait studies and pastel painting at DuPage Art League in Wheaton.
Astrophotography-Photography/Imagery of the Night Sky
presented by Jasonn Pellegrini
Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at 7:00 pm
IN PERSON at
Homer Township Public Library
14320 W. 151st Street
Homer Glen, IL 60491
708-301-7908
On October 12, 2022, in partnership with the Homer Township Public Library, the Lemont Artists Guild is pleased to present, at the library, Jasonn Pellegrini, who will share his knowledge and photographic images in the field of Astrophotography which is the photographing of the night sky. This includes astronomical objects, outer space phenomena and events which can include images of the moon, sun, planets, asteroids, stars, and galaxies. Jasonn will bring outer space and the stars inside so we can see them for ourselves projected on the big screen in the library’s conference room!
Jasonn has always had a passion for photography. His portfolio includes landscape photography and he started focusing on Astrophotography during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Astronomy, in general, has also always been a passion of his and sharing his astrophotography images with the world lets him spread the wonder of space and time to everyone.
While by day, Jasonn is an electronic technician who repairs communication radios and other electronics, by night, he carries his technical expertise into his celestial photos by using special astrophotography techniques and equipment. The equipment he utilizes to take the photographs includes telescopes, lenses, mounts, various accessories, computer software, and his special camera which uses specific filters to cut out light pollution near the city and surrounding area. Since light pollution is always a struggle in the Chicago and surrounding area, with his expertise, techniques, and equipment he is still able to capture the beauty of the night sky. He has even attended the annual “Nebraska Star Party” near Valentine, NE under some of the darkest skies in the country where Astrophotographers get together and take incredible pictures with the Milky Way galaxy as their light. You can see more about the star party at https://www.nebraskastarparty.org/ and view this YouTube video at https://youtu.be/Fqk_AaxI5XY.
Connect with Jasonn and his images here: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Starlancer/,
https://www.instagram.com/starlancerastro/, https://www.artpal.com/jpastro
Kumihimo-The Art of Japanese Braiding
presented by Betty Burian Kirk
Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 7:00 pm
On September 14, 2022, in partnership with the Homer Township Public Library, the Lemont Artists Guild is pleased to present, at the library, Betty Burian Kirk, who will talk about Kumihimo Braiding which is a Japanese Braiding Technique. Betty will give a historic overview of how Kumihimo was brought to Japan and the connection to the Japanese Samurai Warriors. Various braiding techniques will be covered by Betty and an abundance of samples will be displayed. Betty will give a demonstration of how the braiding is done on a Marudai (pronounced mar-oo-dye) which is a round-top braiding stand used to make a wide variety of Kumihimo braids in many different forms such as round, square, rectangular, flat, triangular, and other polygonal shapes. (To learn more about the Marudai visit: https://amksoc.org/glossary/marudai/) Attendees present will be given a cardboard disk in which will Betty will guide them on a form of the Kumihimo braiding.
Image copyright of Hank Erdmann