Last week, over two special days at the Driehaus Museum the twin engines of Chicago Scots important mission, CULTURE & CARE, were in full, powerful effect.
On Tuesday, July 29, Chicago Scots board, donors, members & friends gathered for a private tour of the Driehaus Museum’s incredible exhibition of Scottish botanical painter, Rory McEwen’s stunning art, Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature. After the tour guests enjoyed remarks on Rory’s art & music, and the Driehaus Museum by Professor Tony Jones CBE, former President of the Schools of Art in Glasgow and Chicago, and a member of our Board of Governors.
This extraordinary exhibition features over one hundred works including sculpture and manuscripts from Scottish artist Rory McEwen, whose legacy bridges both visual and musical artistry. Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature explores McEwen’s trailblazing career and reveals how he forged his own personal interpretation of 20th century modernism, portraying flowers, leaves, and vegetables as individual subjects worthy of their own portraits.
We are grateful to our friends, Jerry Adelmann, Barbi Donnelley, Joe Gromacki, Lisa Key and Ruth Stiff for inviting Chicago Scots President, Gus Noble OBE to join the planning committee. Along with the Driehaus Museum, Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, Chicago Botanic Garden, The Magnificent Mile Association, The Morton Arboretum, Old Town School of Folk Music, and The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago Scots is proud to be a partner organization supporting the exhibition.
The very next day, the celebration continued when residents, family members, volunteers and staff from Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care took their own special field trip to the Driehaus Museum to see the Rory McEwen exhibit. Accompanying them on their private tour was our poet in residence, Gary Glazner. Gary founded the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project which uses poetry to help seniors reconnect to their passions, stories and memories. Known for bringing joy and dignity to people living with dementia through poetry and performance, Gary led the group in a lively and emotional engagement with Rory’s art. Gary is also a terrific blues harmonica player, so he recognized the musical side of Rory’s identity by performing some of the American music that Rory and his brother Alex discovered as they travelled across the United States in the 1950’s, recording with the legendary Alan Lomax for Smithsonian Folkways and twice appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show, years before the Beatles. Taking inspiration from the exhibition, Gary and the residents composed a poem about Rory McEwen, art, music and nature. Please see the video below.
It was a very moving experience that brought together memory, imagination, and identity in a setting that honored the spirit of creativity. The delicate, intimate beauty of McEwen’s work sparked meaningful conversations and reflections among the residents, reminding all of us that the power of art is not limited by age or ability.
As we recognize Chicago Scots’ twin engines, it was especially meaningful to reflect upon this summer’s celebration of Rory McEwen’s twin engines, music and art. — on 12 June at our Old Town School of Folk Music tribute and during the Highland Games, where we welcomed Rory’s nephew, Sir John McEwen, newly appointed Chieftain of our Honored Clan, Clan MacEwen.
This remarkable week underscored how Chicago Scots lives our mission: caring for our elders at Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care while also celebrating and advancing Scottish culture in America. The Board’s engagement in both events is a powerful reflection of their commitment to both parts of our purpose. Whether experiencing botanical watercolors in a Gilded Age mansion or sharing a moment of poetry with a resident in memory care, our community continues to weave together Culture & Care in ways that truly matter.
To learn more about Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature, visit the Driehaus Museum website. The exhibition runs through August 17, 2025.