Van Pugh Park, Lake Lanier is a peaceful plein air oil painting that captures a quiet cove at Van Pugh Park on Lake Lanier in Hall County, Georgia. This 14″ × 11″ work was painted on location during an early morning session. The water level was low at the time, revealing wide bands of exposed shoreline and a temporary sand bar that formed a natural bridge to a small island. Red Georgia clay is visible in the middle ground, supporting a small clump of pines, while large rocks help protect the shoreline from erosion. Thin pines frame the view, and the overcast sky provided soft, diffused light with a hint of possible rain in the distant clouds.
Van Pugh Park has long been a special, protected area for Don—only a few miles from home, with limited access (just five parking spaces). He used to bring his children here in the mid to late 90’s to sit, relax, and enjoy the water. It remains a favorite meditation spot and a peaceful escape.
About Van Pugh Park & Lake Lanier Van Pugh Park is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers day-use facility and campground on Lake Lanier, popular for windsurfing, boating, picnicking, and quiet shoreline access. Lake Lanier itself is a large man-made reservoir created in 1956 by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River. It covers 38,000 acres with nearly 700 miles of shoreline and over 100 small islands (former hilltops). The lake was built for flood control, water supply, hydroelectric power, and recreation. Low water levels, as seen in this painting, often expose sandbars and change the landscape dramatically.