Painter of the Dunes: A Life of Frank Virgil Dudley

Once his photographer brother introduced him to the sand dunes of Indiana and vicinity in 1911, Frank Virgil Dudley devoted the rest of his creative life to painting landscapes of the area's stunning scenery and unique diversity, becoming one of the state's preeminent artists. His well-earned titles of "Seer of the Dunes" and "Painter of the Dunes" allude to his almost obsessive subject matter as well as his activism to save the dunes.

The focus of nearly a century of battles between environmentalists and developers, the Indiana Dunes lie within a few hours' drive to the south and east of Chicago. The desire to protect the lakeshore from industrial construction and to preserve it for the recreation and scientific research, unified preservationists, artists, outdoor enthusiasts, and scientists.

Grades 7-12. Hardcover. 152 pages. 2021, Indiana Historical Society Press. by Rachel Berenson Perry.