Bald RIver Falls

Bald River Falls

Bald River Falls
*Original Acrylic on Canvas by Judy Lavoie* IMAGE SIZE: 36" x 24" STATUS: For Sale $1200 (limited edition prints, on canvas or paper, available - see below) "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* Framed stretched CANVAS Giclees, signed and numbered, with Certificate of Authenticity: Image Size: 36" x 24" for $675 (unframed available $475) Image Size: 12" x 18" for $275 Image Size: 8" x 12" for $149 Image Size: 5" x 7", mounted on acid-free board, for $70 (unframed available $32) Unframed PAPER Giclees, signed and numbered, with Certificate of Authenticity (fits standard size mats and ready-made frames): Image Size: 11" x 14" for $70 Image Size: 8" x 10" for $38 Image Size: 5" x 7" for $17.50
* The "Giclée" print represents the newest technology in fine art limited editions. Judy has chosen the Giclée method because it captures the detail and infinite color nuances of the original painting better than all other reproduction methods. Although the cost per print is much higher than offset printed reproductions, Judy feels it is the best choice for making her work more widely available. Each Giclée exhibits the look and feel of the original watercolor painting, right down to the paper it is printed on, which is acid-free 100% cotton fiber. The Giclée longevity fine art ink is waterbased - like the original watercolor pigments Judy painted with. The process is a revolutionary marriage of fine art and state of the art. Like an original watercolor, a Gicleé should be matted and framed under glass and protected from damage of ultraviolet light rays.
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Shipping: Buyer Pays a shipping/handling charge. We ship within the USA using the US Postal Service Priority Mail. To keep things simple, we have two rates: Smaller sizes, unframed on paper: (7" x 5", 10" x 8", 14" x 11") @ $7.50 Framed canvases up to 12" x 18" @ $20.00 Framed or unframed canvases 36" x 24" - please contact us for a shipping quote, since this will depend on your location. Shipping outside the USA is also available. Contact us and we'll calculate the cost.