“From the Lake Shore toward the City”
Pastel by Cathy McCormick
This is a view of a beach at the southern tip of Lake Michigan with background showing an industrial complex that was built nearby. My idea was to show the natural beach where people go to swim and relax, while industries operate in the same area. Is industry a threat to the beach, or can they exit together in peace?  How does the factory affect the beach-goer’s experience?
The scene might also call to mind the artist Frank Dudley who dedicated 40 years of his life toward fighting to preserve the Indiana dunes he painted. Those efforts led to the creation of a protected state park for the dunes in 1925.
Efforts to preserve the lake shore and dunes continue, and artists continue to play a role in calling attention to the natural landscape and its relationship to industry along the Great Lakes.