Magic in Oregon

I was privileged this month to again be a part of the Alexander Art Silver Falls Painting Seminar in Oregon, and each year the experience gets better and better. This year, I had a "day off" from teaching classes and took a six mile hike around the Canyon Trail which afforded me the opportunity to shoot over 700 photos of the beautiful surroundings.

The painting shown here is of the "Lower South Falls" at the park, and was one of my favorite from the hike. The approach to the falls is from above and behind as the trail descends, then switchbacks to take you closer and eventually on walk behind the waterfall. I enjoyed the approach, as I could hear the falls growing louder and louder but couldn't see them at all, until all at once the trail takes a sudden curve and spits you out at this view. I began my hike in the mid-morning, around 9:00, so the lighting was terrific by the time I reached these falls around 9:45.

I began the painting on a lime-green acrylic primed canvas, then worked up the values in Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber before progressing with oils. I've grown to love working with acrylic underpainting and highly recommend you try this method!