"Rainbow Falls, Gorges State Park"

Transylvania County, NC

(30 X 24 oil on canvas)

Rainbow Falls is undoubtedly my favorite waterfall in the area.  It is one of four waterfalls you encounter as you hike along the Horsepasture River in Gorges State Park.  We have witnessed the falls under numerous weather conditions and it always impresses.  During very dry seasons water will flow very peacefully across each series of broken falls on its 125 feet descent.  During very wet, rainy periods the water flows over the top with purpose; not touching the river below until well down stream.  Regardless of the amount of water, we have always seen the rainbow, appearing in the mist at the lower right base of the falls.

I love painting the scenes from locations that have become very meaningful to me.  It makes me see things differently -- focus on different areas.  In this case it was the rock formations.  Standing in front of the falls I always focus on the roar of the water as it cascades downward.  As I studied the same scene, as a subject to paint, I realized how important the rock formations were.  How many hundreds of thousands of years went into forming the rocks as they now appear.  I concluded early on that if I captured the rocks, the water would take care of itself.

This was a fun painting and one of my favorites.  I thought a good, moderate flow of water would make for an impressive representation.  I removed most of the trees and undergrowth from the down stream section of the river to provide more emphasis to its downward flow.  One of the best things about this hike is sound of the water as you walk along the river.  During the summer you may not always see it but you will always hear it.

As for the rainbow -- if you look carefully in the mist coming off the rocks of the right lower base of the falls you will see a few hints of a rainbow.

Framing by Blackbird Frame and Art of Asheville, NC