One Winter's Afternoon
Frank Dudley’s landscape paintings often paid homage to the Indiana dunelands and shore around Lake Michigan, thus contributing to the preservation of the area. Partly on account of the attention brought to the area by Dudley and other fellow artists, in 1923 the Indiana Dunes State Park was established, safekeeping an area of stunning scenery and precious wildlife. Subtle and silent beauty best describes this painting, One Winter’s Afternoon. Human presence is acknowledged only by the fresh and narrow path carved in the snow, leading from the foreground to the rough-hewn barn. The afternoon sun has gradually melted most of the snowfall on the roof. Snow covers much of the ground, except for the occasional stalks of dry grass and shrubs and the background of autumnal colored trees and bushes. Expansive shadows indicate the late afternoon sun and impending evening.
Dudley grew up in Delvan, Wisconsin, where he helped his father with his house and barn-painting business. His parents were hearing-impaired and communicated in sign language. Dudley had a taste of art instruction from his father, who was also an amateur artist. Further skills were learned from a visiting painter from Chicago, Albert McCoy. Around the age of twenty-one, Dudley moved to Chicago to attend night classes at the School of the Art Institute. By day he held a job as a commercial designer. When financially stable, Dudley built a cottage on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan in Chesterton, Indiana, and spent most of his time painting his favorite and beloved landscape.