Cascading Falls in Fall

This painting was inspired by some of my recent hikes during fall foliage season. I love being outside to explore and absorb the beauty of my surroundings and often use these experiences as the inspiration and foundation for my paintings. I don’t try to recreate the environment as it is, but rather merge the colors and beauty of the area, with feelings I get when I am exploring.

Oil on panel

In Cascading Falls in Fall, I loved the way the light would flicker through the trees creating brilliant pops of color on the various trees and rocks, the yellows and oranges contrasting with the dark grounds and damp rocks, and the myriad of colors in the damp rocks that can be seen on closer examination. I first heard the small rumblings of the waterfall before seeing it, only to come upon a more robust cascade of water in the forest.

The painting is a small study of the larger forest I hiked through. I created it quickly and expressively using oils and a palette knife on a board. The focus was to capture the ruggedness of the forest, the strength of the water, and delicate trees set against the uneven rocks. The rocks themselves had their own splendor with contrasting jaggedness and smoothness resulting from the waterfall cascading over them.