Sand Dunes c. 1880 - 1891

B. Gay Wilkinson created "Sand Dunes" using platinum print, giving the image a soft, tonal range that emphasizes texture and form. The composition is structured by the horizontal lines of the sand, which lead the eye towards the undulating dunes, capped with coarse grasses. These elements create a visual rhythm that mimics the natural cadence of the landscape. Notice how Wilkinson has framed the scene so that the sky, heavy with clouds, occupies the upper portion of the image, pressing down on the lighter expanse of sand. The artist uses tonal contrasts to create a sense of depth. The stark, vertical remnants of wooden posts punctuate the foreground. These structural elements against the natural forms suggest a tension between human intervention and the raw, untouched landscape. Wilkinson's strategic arrangement and manipulation of light and shadow invites viewers to contemplate the formal relationships between these elements, reflecting on how we perceive and interact with the spaces around us.