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The 26-by-42-inch painting shows a view of the mouth of the Miners River, looking west.

Lathrop, of Evansville, Wis., finished the painting in June, but began his studies of the area, including photographs he took, last September.

At that time, Lathrop stayed at the park under a special Artist in Residence Program at Pictured Rocks. Park rangers host one artist a year. The artist lives and works in the park for up to four weeks.

"These volunteers are provided a park residence for their use," said park Chief of Cultural Interpretation Gregg Bruff. "In return, the park receives one of the artist's works for a permanent park collection."

Lathrop stayed at the park for a little over two weeks, creating two paintings each day.

"It was such a neat experience for me to be here and be totally alone," Lathrop said. "It just was so valuable for me in terms of getting ideas, but also for growth."

Lathrop stayed in a cabin located down a rough dirt road with no phone, television, radio and only limited electricity.

"Confronted by this lack of distraction, I devoted most of each day to the act of creation: painting, writing and photography," Lathrop wrote to readers of his summer newsletter. "Only meals diverted my attention."

At the Miners River, he said he'd watched river otters playing as they watched him working along the stream banks.

Lathrop kept a journal during his residency. Some of the entries, along with several of the painting studies he created during the program, are posted on his Web site.

Bruff said there is a long-standing tradition of artists influencing the formation, expansion and direction of national parks in North America. Today's artists are continuing the tradition by documenting landscapes and seashores with contemporary vision and techniques.

"Drawing upon the scenic, natural and cultural elements of the parks for inspiration, these artists translate the park's purpose as places of preservation, recreation, education and inspiration into images that bring others an enjoyment of parks they may never visit," Bruff said.

Rangers said the Lathrop painting will be displayed for the public, likely being moved to several locations in the park over the next few years.

"We are truly appreciative of Bill Lathrop's donation of the beautiful painting of the Miners River," Bruff said. "The National Park Service Artist in Residence Program, and indeed art on a personal level by our visiting public, is a tremendous way to form emotional connections to these treasures of American natural and cultural heritage."

The Pictured Rocks Artist in Residence program began in 1996. Similar programs are in place at other national parks including Joshua Tree, Badlands and Isle Royale.