"Old Indian Trail Sleeping Bear Dunes"

An outdoor painter must be hardy and have a good sense of humor. To paint this scene meant a mile walk to the lake through the dune forest of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. After a 2-3 hour session in the sun and sand, I felt I'd captured the light and shade patterns on the dunes and began to pack up my gear. Just then the wind kicked up, catching the canvas like a sail and knocking my easel and the painting into the sand. Tiny grains of sand let you know this piece was painted in the Great Outdoors.