Whispers of the Sleeping Sands

The golden light of sunset, or perhaps sunrise, casts a warm, ethereal glow over the scene, painting the dunes in hues of amber and orange. The blending colors of the sand and sky convey a sense of peace, a fleeting moment of balance between day and night. The sun, low on the horizon, reminds us of the cycles of nature—ever-present yet constantly changing.  

The colors in this artwork carry deep significance. The soft blues of the water represent calm, reflection, and the infinite depth of Lake Michigan. The oranges and reds of the sand evoke warmth, vitality, and the energy of the earth. The blending of these colors reflects the harmonious relationship between land and water, suggesting the unity and interconnectedness of all natural elements.  

The figures in the distance add a human touch to this vast landscape, grounding the viewer in the scale of the dunes. Their presence echoes the connection between people and the natural world, a reminder of our role as stewards of these sacred places. The path ahead is both literal and metaphorical—leading us into nature’s heart and encouraging us to appreciate its beauty and fragility.  

Sleeping Bear Dunes is steeped in legend and history. The park takes its name from an Anishinaabe (Native American) legend about a mother bear and her two cubs. According to the tale, the mother bear and her cubs attempted to cross Lake Michigan to escape a forest fire. The mother reached the shore, but the cubs didn’t survive. The Great Spirit created the dunes to commemorate the mother bear and the Manitou Islands to represent her lost cubs. This story of endurance and loss echoes through the natural beauty of the dunes, making this landscape not just a scenic place, but one filled with meaning and memory.  

When creating this piece, I felt a deep connection to the timelessness of the dunes—the way they rise and fall, always changing yet always present. The colors became a palette for emotion: the warmth of the sun, the cool of the lake, the softness of the sand underfoot. The layers of the image represent how we experience nature—sometimes from a distance, sometimes up close, but always in awe of its grandeur. This piece is a tribute to the fleeting moments of beauty we find in nature, those that make us stop and breathe, just for a while, before continuing our own journey.  

In every brushstroke, I sought to capture the quiet whispers of the dunes—the stories they tell of wind and time, of solitude and togetherness. This artwork is my ode to nature’s resilience and its delicate balance, always inviting us to listen, to walk softly, and to leave only footprints behind.