The colors, design and textures of a lovely garden deserve to last longer than a single summer, so artists have been willing to labor over this double act of creation - first the garden and then the painting. Claude Monet is the best known artist-gardener. Artists who painted their own gardens include Peter Paul Rubens, Gustave Caillebotte and Frida Kahlo. Other artists, like Edouard Manet and John Singer Sargent, set up their easels in choice gardens of the day.
Laura Mueller is an artist and an art historian. She lectures at the Art Institute of Chicago and for the Illinois Humanities Council. This program is co-sponsored with the Des Plaines Garden Club.
The 1501 Ellinwood Street library building is the realization of a longheld dream of the library board, staff and community partners. Located in the heart of downtown Des Plaines, the four story, 82,000 square foot building represents the community's commitment to reading, lifelong learning, and a center for family activities. A grand central staircase and large windows provide a wealth of natural light and illuminate the building at night.