Bald RIver Falls

Bald River Falls

Bald River Falls
*Original Acrylic on Canvas by Judy Lavoie*
IMAGE SIZE: 36" x 24" STATUS: Original For Sale $1200, framed in a custom oak barnwood frame (also available: limited edition prints - see below)	Click "Custom Order"; we'll calculate your total cost including shipping, then contact you to confirm your order.
"Bald River Falls is a spectacular 100+ foot cascade in the Cherokee National Forest, not far from where I live in southeast Tennessee. It is a much visited natural site, since it is easily viewed by car from a paved two-lane forest service road, on by walking onto the bridge which spans the river below the falls. I took my reference photos in the fall of 2007, when the area was at the height of a severe drought, so the water level was much lower than usual. I found this made the scene more interesting, since many moss-covered boulders were in full view. I added the deer to give scale, but didn't want to rob the falls from being the focal point, so I tried to keep the deer subtle."
The Painting Process:

"I don't usually keep track of my hours while painting, since this is my "pleasure time" and also because I paint in spurts of a few hours one day, an hour a few days later, etc. I decided to photograph this work in process, and the photo above left was taken after 5 days of working on this. I had started with a detailed pencil sketch on a canvas which I had painted in a solid coat of medium blue-grey; this allows me to see lights and darks against a neutral background. In the end, this grey will be visible only in the top quarter of the painting. As you can see, the foundation of the painting, which this photo shows, is rather monotone; I wanted to keep the tree shapes at the top somewhat non-descript, since they would be the most distant part of the scene. You can see where I've reserved a spot for a deer, not to be a focal point but to give a sense of proportion so one knows how big this waterfall is. The photo to the right was taken after many more hours of painting, and I've worked on the pool of water at the foot of the falls, the deer, created 3-dimensionality in the boulders with shadows, highlights, moss; etc.

I was surprised when I compared the photo on the left above with the one previous... it didn't look a whole lot different, but I had spent hours on the painting in between the two shots! Lots of detail added in the pool, the falls, the boulders on both sides, and in the trees at the top. I'm nearing completion in the photo on the right above, adding foliage in the distance and foreground. Between this and the final painting, I brightened some of the fall leaf colors, fussed with some of the details, and declared it finished! In total, I would estimate this painting took about 35 hours to complete."
*Limited Edition Giclee Prints of Bald River Falls by Judy Lavoie, Edition Size 995* CANVAS Giclees, signed and numbered, with Certificate of Authenticity: Image Size: 36" x 24" for $675 framed in a custom oak barnwood frame (unframed available $475) Image Size: 12" x 18" for $275 framed in a custom oak barnwood frame (unframed available $165) Giclees on PAPER, signed and numbered, with Certificate of Authenticity: Image Size: 14" x 20", Artist's Proof, for $325, in a white mat and 22" x 28" grey weathered barnboard frame Image Size: 11" x 14", unframed for $70 Also available in smaller sizes in our Gift Shop. Click "Custom Order"; we'll calculate your total cost including shipping, then contact you to confirm your order.
* Museum Quality Signed "Giclee" Prints The "Giclee" print represents the finest technology in fine art limited editions. Judy has chosen giclee reproductions for her paintings because this type of print captures the fine details and subtle color nuances of her originals. A giclee looks just like an original, right down to the surface it is printed on, whether archival art paper or artist's canvas. Each of Judy's giclees is signed and numbered and provided with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Also available in our Gift Shop are note cards, smaller giclee prints on canvas and paper, and open edition prints -- including some of this painting. These quality low cost items make great gifts!