Latest news with #Kemerer
Chicago Tribune
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Brushwood Center in Ryerson Woods showcased sustainable goods at Mother Earth Made Market
Honoring the mother of all mothers, Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, hosted their 4th annual Mother Earth Market on May 10th and 11th, a celebration of spring and Mother's Day weekend. The event showcased an art market, featuring artists, makers, vendors and organizations from Cook and Lake Counties, all inspired by nature and working towards a more sustainable future. Julia Kemerer, director of arts and administration at Brushwood, says the purpose of the event is twofold – to provide artists the opportunity to share their work and to bring the community together for a fun celebration of springtime nature-inspired art. The Mother Earth Market ran both Saturday and Sunday, featuring local art for purchase, family friendly activities like Bird Walks and Forest Bathing with Brushwood Center staff, Haiku readings by poet-in-residence, Kathryn Haydon, a spring flower crafting station, live music from Veterans from the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, and much more. 'Of the 37 multidisciplinary artists participating this year, each one draws their inspiration from nature in their own unique way,' Kemerer said. Artists like Vaiju Saraf, from Lincolnshire, who says she has been creating nature-based works linked to her travels since 2018, or Nicholas Hellman, a woodworker from Vernon Hills, who says in woodworking, all his raw materials come from nature. Dionne Venhorst of Mundelein attended the market Saturday with friends. 'It's incredible how this event not only connects attendees to the untouched natural beauty of Ryerson Woods, but to the history of our area, through the Brushwood Center,' Venhorst said. Randi Merel, president of the Riverwoods Preservation Council, attended the Mother Earth Market for the first time this year. 'Today we are here offering custom seedling packets to help residents grow native species from seeds in their own backyard,' Merel said. Lake Villa, artist, Natalie Ingrum of Tinkering Tilly, says she has created an art practice out using recycled and ethically foraged materials. 'As a kid spending time out in nature in a forest preserve near my house, I started cleaning up, picking up trash, this was the beginning of my adult passion of making art out of what I find,' Ingrum said. Brianna Borger of Evanston says she loves to support small business artists and the market gives her a glimpse into nature-inspired creativity. 'It's such a great weekend to come out to the woods and see tons of locally made art, do a bit of shopping, and enjoy fun activities for the family,' Kemerer said.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio State Mansfield to honor three alumni at Hall of Fame Awards
Ohio State University at Mansfield is set to honor three alumni for their contributions to their professions and communities, according to an announcement. The Alumni Hall of Fame Awards will take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at 1285 Winery in Mansfield. Carrie Rietschlin Kemerer, Steven Oster and Bertha Villa Bishop will be recognized. Kemerer, a 2001 graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, is the executive director of The Shelby Foundation. She has been instrumental in growing the foundation, particularly by organizing the annual "For a Brighter Tomorrow" fundraising gala, which raises significant funds for area nonprofits. Kemerer also serves on the executive committee of the Community Improvement Corporation of Shelby and is a member of the Rotary Club. Oster, who earned a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Management in 2000, is the superintendent for the Knox and Coshocton County Boards of Developmental Disabilities. He also serves as the executive director for PAR - Professionals, Advocate, Resources. Oster has held executive roles at the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, the County Board Association and the Summit County Board of Developmental Disabilities. He has received numerous awards for his advocacy, including the Ron Kozlowski Award and Betty Macintosh Award. Oster led the campaign to establish Harmony Park, an inclusive playground in Knox County, and holds board leadership positions in various community organizations. Bishop, a 2011 graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in History, is a nationally recognized photographer in Mansfield. A native of Medellín, Colombia, she began her photography journey while pursuing a journalism degree there. After moving to Mansfield, she quit her job as a Spanish teacher, returned to Ohio State Mansfield to earn a degree in history and founded her photography business full time. Bishop earned her certification as a professional photographer through the Professional Photographers of America in 2019 and has been featured in several specialized publications. She is dedicated to community service, engaging with the Richland County Dog Shelter and serving as president of the OSU Alumni Club of Richland County. 'The Alumni Awards Program at Mansfield recognizes Buckeyes who go to amazing lengths to make our community and region a better place,' Ohio State Mansfield Development Director Cindy Wood said. 'More importantly, these individuals signify for our current students exemplary career and community achievements, all built upon their foundation at the Mansfield regional campus. All of our nominees represent exceptional career or community service, and the selection process was difficult.' For event information and to RSVP, contact Delaney Buechner at buechner.22@ This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at or share your thoughts at with our News Automation and AI team. This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Ohio State Mansfield to honor 3 alumni with Hall of Fame Awards
