Isle Royale National Park Residency

I was the selected Artist-in-Residence at Isle Royale National Park in June 2017. Accessible only by boat or sea plane, Isle Royale is an island wilderness in Lake Superior. It is home to the noted long-term moose/wolf study program.

Isle Royale is surrounded by the vastness of Lake Superior; from Dassler Cabin I could observe the moods of the water and marvel at the changing light. During my time on Isle Royale, I was interested in learning how the climate and isolation of this northern wilderness affected its ecosystem. I visited the headquarters of the famous wolf/moose study on several occasions to sketch, photograph, and learn from Rolf and Candy Peterson. An impressive collection of moose skulls on the grounds is a testament to many years of research on the island. Surrounded by this forest of antlered skulls, and observing the native plant life growing among their rows, the inspiration for Garden and Grave was born. In addition to the characteristic plant life of the forest floor, Isle Royale is home to a number of arctic and western disjunct species: these plants are far out of their typical range, but thrive in this cool island climate. Locating and identifying disjunct species such as the spiny Devil’s Club was an unexpected highlight of my time on the Island.

The Voyage

Transportation on the Ranger III passenger ferry takes approximately 6 hours from Houghton, Michigan to Rock Harbor on Isle Royale. The ferry has a snack bar and staff who lead interpretive programs to help pass the time.

The Artist-in-Residence Experience

During my 3 weeks on Isle Royale, I got out and saw as much of the Island as I could. I packed my tiniest field sketching kit and went backpacking for eight days, gathering reference material and making sketches.

Wolf/Moose Study

The predator/prey study on Isle Royale is ongoing since 1958. At study headquarters, visitors can learn about the factors impacting moose and wolf populations on the Island.