Call for Artists: Nature Explorer Activity Book

Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods is seeking several Graphic Artists to help illustrate community members’ experiences with nature for our Nature Explorer Activity Book, which will be distributed in 1,200 free Nature Explorer Backpacks to be handed out during the summer of 2023 to youth and families in Highwood, North Chicago, Round Lake, and Waukegan. The activity books will also be bilingual in English and Spanish, and feature art and nature exploration prompts, meditative exercise, and community-building lessons.

The Backpack program, which began in 2020 as part of Brushwood Center’s COVID-19 response, provides families with tools for supporting physical and mental health amidst Lake County’s parks, preserves, and other natural areas. The Backpacks will be distributed at locally-organized events where families can engage in hands-on activities and nature walks, learn how to use the materials in the Backpacks, and build connection with one another and the outdoors.

We seek to commission local illustrators to each design 1-2 coloring pages with English and Spanish captions based on interviews and stories gathered by our Healthy, Equity and Nature Accelerator team. Illustrators will have to meet virtually with Brushwood Center staff during March - May to finalize the activity book and designs, but the schedule will be very flexible. A $300 stipend will be provided to each illustrator. Preference will be given to artists from Lake County.

Interested applicants should submit examples of past work or a portfolio to Dani Abboud at dabboud@brushwoodcenter.org by February 20th, 2023.