De Zwaan in Full Summer Color
Oil on vellum paper, 11 7/8 X 9 ½, 2026

De Zwaan in Full Summer Color captures the historic Dutch windmill at Windmill Island Gardens in Holland, Michigan, on a beautiful late-August afternoon. Originally built in the Netherlands and brought to Michigan in the 1960s, De Zwaan (“The Swan”) stands as a remarkable connection between Dutch heritage and its adopted Michigan landscape.

Begun en plein air on August 25, 2026 with the Saugatuck-Douglas Plein Air group, and completed in my studio, the painting reflects my continuing exploration of expressive color and brushwork. The brilliant yellows, reds, and whites of the summer gardens contrast with the cool blues and violets of the sky, creating an interplay of color, light, and movement. There was a particular vitality to the scene that afternoon, and I wanted the painting to convey something of what it felt like to be there.