Michigan is an endless playground of natural beauty. I hike and wander, taking reference photos for studio work and also paint on location, en plein air. 2020 is the 50th anniversary of the Lakeshore and I spent a great deal of time lately focusing on this serene area. Contact me at carolyndamstra@gmail.com, I'd love to hear from you. Commissions of your special places also available--let's collaborate!
"Loved finding your painting last night. That lookout there on the small dune to the left is one of my wife and I's (and now our kids') 3 favorite spots in the world. My wife will be so surprised opening it for Christmas."
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Sleeping Bear Dunes, Empire Bluff Trail, At the Top
Original acrylic painting on 1.5-inch thick stretched canvas with semi-gloss varnish, 18" x 24". My kids love this hike to the top of the Empire bluff trail, in the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes in Northern Michigan. Itoffers breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and North and South Manitou Islands.
This extra thick canvas has edges painted dark grey for a modern look, and comes with a hanging wire attached.
Sleeping Bear Dunes, Cottonwood Trail, Beginning of the End
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating. 12" x 16". This is on the top of my list of favorite hikes in Sleeping BearDunes National Lakeshore, especially in the fall when the Cottonwood leaves turn greenish yellow and clap with joy in the breeze.
Frame options available for this painting at additional cost--inquire.
Sleeping Bear Dunes, Barefoot Hike
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating, 11" x 14." I can feel the warm sand in between my toes when I look at this picture. There's nothing better than August in Michigan up north in the dunes!
Frames available for this paintingat additional cost--inquire.
Sleeping Bear Bay, High Water
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating, 16" x 20." A calming painting of one of my (many!) favorite places; the shoreline at the base of Sleeping Bear Point by Glen Haven at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Frames available for this size at additional cost--inquire.
Sleeping Bear Dunes, D.H. Day Farm in Early September
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with UV coating, 12" x 16." I always enjoy seeing the crisp white buildings of this historic preserved farm near the Dune Climb in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Michigan. One lovely warm September morning I set up my easel and captured it, along with the colorful grasses that surround it.
Sleeping Bear Dunes, Midsummer in Port Oneida
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with UV coating, 16" x 20". The Port Oneida area of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Michiganis a historic rural heritage farming area. Fallow fields filled with colorful grasses and wildflowers buzz with insects in midsummer and huge old-growth trees dot the landscape amid the preserved barns and farm buildings.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Sleeping Bear Dunes, Morning Mist in Leelanau
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with UV coating, 16" x 20." On this magical morning I witnessed the sun rise through the mist floating through the rural farmland in the heart of the Leelanau Peninsula in northern Michigan. The soft greys, greens and contrast of bright purples give this painting a peaceful, uplifting feel contrasted by the edginess of the wire and metal.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Sleeping BearDunes, The Cottonwood Trail, Late October
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating, 12" x 16". The Cottonwood Trail off of the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Northern Michigan is one of my favorite hikes in the fall because 1. it is really hot in the summer! and 2. the gold/orange leaves of the cottonwood trees are lovely when they turn.
Framing available at additional cost, please inquire.
Sleeping Bear Dunes, View from the Empire Bluff Trail
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating, 16" x 20". This famous hike along the Empire Bluff in the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore offers spectacular views of Lake Michigan and North and South Manitou islands.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Leelanau Late Summer Fields
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating, 18" x 24". On a warm August morning I captured the sun rising through the mist over the rolling fields and old farm buildings north of Cedar, Michigan. This peaceful, rural area of the Leelanau Peninsula is close to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and a short drive from Traverse City.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Sleeping Bear Dunes, D. H. Day Farm, September Morning
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating, 16" x 20". This iconic barn sits in the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes in Leelanau County, in northern Michigan. Huge dunes, preserved farm buildings and fields, and of course Lake Michigan offer visitors endless beauty for exploring.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Sleeping Bear Dunes,Peaceful Platte River
This an original acrylic painting on stretched canvas, coated with a semi- gloss UV coating, 11" x 14". I strolled the beach on a peaceful, warm, mid-October day in northern Michigan, where the Platte River ends at Lake Michigan. Part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, this spot is very popular with visitors in the summer.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Lake Michigan at Summer's End
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating, 16" x 20". strolling Lake Michigan's shoreline and diving in the crashing waves on a hot summer day is a day well spent.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Empire Beach, Approaching Storm, Sleeping Bear Dunes
original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with UV coating, 16" x 20". Empire Beach in Leelanau County, in northern Michigan, is a popular tourist spot in the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. On this unusually warm September afternoon, waves lapped my feet as I painted the approaching storm over the distant hills.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Lake Narada, Sleeping Bear Dunes
original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with UV coating, 18" x 24". This lovely view can be spotted on a drive along scenic M22 in Leelanau County, through Sleeping Bear Dunes. The colors change with the seasons and abundant wildlife enjoy this marsh area.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Autumn at Frankfort Beach, Michigan
This an original acrylic painting on stretched canvas, coated with clear semi-gloss UV coating, 20" x 16"
The bluffs of Frankfort frame this popular summer beach, here calm and serene with cool fall air.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Spring Storm Surge, Lake Michigan
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating, 16" x 20". High water levels and storms have caused beaches and shorelines to erode all over the Great Lakes, and especially along the west coast of Michigan. I still found joy in painting the beauty in the energy and colors of the crashing waves and soaring cliffs.
Sleeping BearPoint, Sunny November Afternoon
This an original acrylic painting on stretched canvas, with semi-gloss UV coating, 11" x 14"
A hidden gem in Sleeping Bear Dunes is this hike out to Lake Michigan, with stunning views of North and South Manitou Islands.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Kirk Park Beach, Lake Michigan
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with UV semi-gloss coating, 16" x 20". Memories of strolls on Lake Michigan, cold fresh waves lapping at your ankles, this painting is sure to become a treasured family heirloom.
Framing available at additional cost, inquire.
August Afternoon,Van's Beach, Leland, MI
original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating, 16" x 20". I spent a glorious afternoon last summer on the grassy bluff at Van's beach in Leland, Michigan, painting, with a warm breeze blowing and waves crashing. After painting up a sweat, a cooling dip in those freshwater waves felt amazing.
Framing available at additional cost, inquire.
D. H. Day Farm in Late November, Sleeping Bear Dunes
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating, 20" x 24". The gnarled trees along this quiet stretch of road and autumn grasses frame the iconic D.H. Day barns, in the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Michigan.
Lake Michigan Dream Day, Douglas, MI
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with UV coating, 11" x 14". Lake Michigan has many moods, and a foggy rainy day can be quite enchanting. This stretch of beach by Saugatuck and Douglas, Michigan, is punctuated by hidden wooden stairs leading to dream homes perched above the lake.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.
Sleeping Bear Point, June Afternoon
Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas with semi-gloss UV coating, 16" x 20". Midsummer winds blow fresh breezes across the dunes of northern Michigan, where you can stroll for miles among the grasses and wildflowers.
Ask about framing options at additional cost.