Sabbaday Falls | 8×10 | Oil on Panel

Inspiration for Sabbaday Falls

This classic viewpoint of Sabbaday Falls in New Hampshire could surely inspire folklore and fairytale. Those dark, mossy cliffs; large, creviced boulders; and brilliant, shallow pool combine to set a stage for mythology. One could easily imagine a Native American princess standing astride those tumbled slabs. Or perhaps envision Rip Van Winkle groggily peering out from his leafy bed beneath the trees. I think the aura exuded by this scene could quickly bring the sweetly longing sehnsucht descending into the viewer’s spirit. I certainly hope it always does so for my gracious collector!

A Challenging Commission

I’ve always held that rocks, shallow water, and waves comprise some of the  most difficult subjects to paint…and Sabbaday Falls pretty much has them all! Toss in a small panel size and the client’s request for an especially “tight” rendering, and I had my work cut out for me! And to top it all off, the client was sweet enough to insist that I “take my time” on the piece: a statement almost every artist takes full advantage of! 😀

White Mountain National Forest

White Mountain National Forest covers just over 1,100 square miles in New Hampshire and Maine. The forest has stellar reviews right across the web, gaining a perfect 5-star score from TripAdvisor and Yelp, and a 4.5-star rating on Google Reviews. Although I’ve never been to New Hampshire or Maine in person, I have been to Vermont a few times now. Let me tell you: in summertime, New England is a little slice of heaven. (So far, I’ve managed to avoid visiting during the brutally cold winter months, haha!) Mountain hiker beware though: U.S. Forest Service signs state that the mountain summit areas have “the worst weather in America”.  The observatory near the summit of Mount Washington once recorded a surface wind speed of 231 miles per hour! So I guess the forest has a something for everyone, from peaceful wanderers to adventure seekers. 🙂  Read more about White Mountain National Forest.

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