Seasonal view 4 of 6 at Doug’s Knob, a high-quality hilltop prairie remnant and small oak grove at the heart of the Nachusa Grasslands, Illinois (see all six below):
A robust growth of goldenrod, asters, and big bluestem on the lower slope set a warm, lively tone at the end of September. A woodchuck burrow, also evident in the May painting, is still visible high on the slope since the prairie never gets very tall in the dry gravelly soils on top of the knob. The conditions were breezy, but otherwise ideal to finish this painting. Three years later I would choose the exact same spot for my May composition.
Painted on location.
Exhibition History
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The Long View: Prairie Paintings from Illinois Nature Preserves
June 9 - October 21, 2023
Illinois State Museum - Lockport Gallery
201 West 10th Street, Lockport, Illinois
Publication History
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Picturing the Prairie: A Vision of Restoration
Published in conjunction with Philip’s 2021 exhibition at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Contributors include: Philip Juras, artist and author; Hank Paulson, foreword; and Stephen Packard, essay. Published by Little Bluestem Press, Athens, GA, 2021.
