Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore - 2007 Artist-in-Residence Sharon Hammer Baker (U.S. National Park Service)

lady standing while talking while kids are watching up close in an outdoor setting

Volunteer William Baker

Artist-in-Residence, Sharon Hammer Baker helps Junior Rangers develop poetry.

Sharon is from Findlay, Ohio.

During Sharon's residency she worked six days with the national lakeshore's Junior Rangers. She helped them develop poetry, using nature to inspire them.

Other days she visited many park areas. Drawing from those visits, she developed Dunescape, a Collection of Poems Written at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Afternoon Metallurgy is on display as part of the Artist-in-Residence collection on temporary exhibit at the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center.

Artist standing in front of kids sitting on the floor of an art gallery

Volunteer William Baker

Junior Rangers prepare to write poetry about art work at the Chesterton Art Center.

Sharon taught Junior Rangers how to use art as an inspiration for poetry at the 56th annual Chesterton Women's Club Art Show at the .

Afternoon Metallurgy

a sterling sun blankets
the broad lake with a million
flecks of shimmery silver

turning the sky above
so bright a shade of gray
the horizon disappears
in a gleam too painful to look at
and too compelling to ignore

gulls flying east pull the
lustrous mantle behind them
with each shiny wing stroke

Dunescape, A Collection of Poems Written at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore by Sharon Hammer Baker contains 13 additional pieces of work.