Remembering the Lupine

“Remembering the Lupine” - soft pastel on UArt 400 grit sanded paper. First time working on that surface. This is based off a photo I took in the Miller Woods (Indiana Dunes National Park) long ago. Pretty small, 8.25”x 11.25”. Running with the idea that memories can be vivid but hazy, the small scale and softness of the pastel forced me to work more loosely than I am inclined.

“Remembering the Lupine” is a soft pastel painting inspired by the delicate wild lupines that grow throughout the Indiana Dunes region. These flowers are iconic to the sandy oak savannas and prairies that shape our local landscape, and they play a vital ecological role as the host plant for the endangered Karner blue butterfly. I created this piece to capture the quiet beauty and emotional resonance of these blooms—fragile, luminous, and deeply tied to the natural heritage of Northwest Indiana.

The painting focuses on soft atmospheric color, warm early-summer light, and the subtle textures that pastel is so well suited for. Using layered strokes and blended transitions, I wanted to emphasize both the tenderness of the petals and the sense of movement within the surrounding grasses and breeze. The composition leans toward impressionism, inviting the viewer not just to look at the lupine, but to remember the feeling of encountering these rare flowers along a trail or dune ridge.

Much of my work explores plants, landscapes, and wildlife connected to the Great Lakes and the Indiana Dunes, and this painting reflects that ongoing study of regional ecology. “Remembering the Lupine” is part of a series of works highlighting endangered or threatened species in our area, drawing attention to their beauty and to the habitats that support them.

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