Spring Arrives Under Watchful Eyes
Secret Vistas of Yosemite
by Stefan Baumann
Creating Water with Movement
The
journey to Vernal Falls in Yosemite is always a favorite
of mine. Spring 2005 ushered the largest rainfall in decades.
The Merced River overflowed its banks and the valley floor
became a lake; it was rumored that Vernal Falls had never
looked grander. The view of the falls from the bridge
is a local point of interest, however this time it wasn’t
on my agenda. It was from below the bridge itself that
held my interest.
Creating moving water is a challenge for both seascape
and landscape artists alike. If a painter wishes to freeze
the energy of moving water, he or she must use more than
a camera. The artist must spend time with the subject:
studying and recording with his mind’s eye the subtle
rhythms of the moving mass. Over a period of time the
subject will reveal patterns that repeat within the water
and it’s this combination of all the rhythms that
generate movement.
Most students see foam as white or light, but the artist
who wishes to capture water must concentrate on dark tones
using values that are much darker then one might expect
to see. The shadows of water are cool colors consisting
mainly of blues and violet. In contrast the lights are
warm hues consisting of yellows and reds. The rocks behind
the light must be darker than the rocks in the foreground.
Artists only have contrast, value and color to create
a painting. Painters throughout history studied and learned
the power of color values in creating effects that seem
to mold paint in tangible, 3D shapes. They also have added
this power to black and white values to make things appear
real.
In the painting, “Spring Arrives Under Watchful
Eyes “ I came upon a half hidden trail overlooking
the falls, and followed it down through a dense pine forest
leading to a large bolder. Few know about this place,
but it's like nothing else in the world. The focus is
on the water. The bridge that spans the chasm is a symbol
of hope that crosses over obstacles; it helps deliver
us to safety and thus enables us to continue on our journey.
Beneath the bridge, turbulent falls splash and churn violently,
thunder sound as the boulders beneath the water feel the
impact, the spray bursting forth like fireworks. Above
all this movement, a mother bear with two cubs are perched
above the mighty Merced River. Her two cubs play as one
gazes back at me and freezes in curiosity.
I'm stunned. I've just seen something astonishingly beautiful
and unexpected. There are places where the bounty of God's
creation shines forth with such radiance that the humble
heart is moved to express its gratitude in prayer. “Spring
Arrives Under Watchful Eyes” portrays a spiritual
jewel within a setting of breathtaking natural beauty.
