Catskill Mountain Escarpment meets a Crisp January Dawn

The birth place of the Hudson River School of American Landscape painters and artists, it is said that this escarpment is the most painted motif in... more

by Terrance DePietro

Title

Catskill Mountain Escarpment meets a Crisp January Dawn

Artist

Terrance DePietro

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

The birth place of the Hudson River School of American Landscape painters and artists, it is said that this escarpment is the most painted motif in Americana. The first place Thomas Cole visited, and in his footsteps all followed. High Peak,the Kaaterskill Clove, South Mt. and North Mt. rise up from the Hudson Valley.

And at the entrance to the clove sets Palenville, where the artists took shelter, gathering each season and roamed every ledge,raven and falls for a taste of nature's sublime presence. Fawn's Leap, La Belle Falls, Moore's Bridge, Haine's Falls, the Five Cascades, Artist's Grotto and, the grand treasure, the Kaaterskill Falls, the majesty of which touched Cole on his first visit.

Once atop the cliffs of the Kaaterskill the journey of motifs continues on to North and South lakes on South Mt. or to the south, still higher, High Peak and Round Top. Described as 'limitless of motifs' then and it remains so today. No lack of solitude; peaceful, wondrous and full of nature's creative spirit it touches man's soul. "Once you have slept in the shadow of the mountain, you will always return."

Most of the images displayed in this gallery are from Palenville and its surroundings. They are the 'outer-scapes' of my artistic journey, whereas with brush in hand I turn to 'inner' places that are not bound in material textures. Yet if it were not for the familiarity with nature's delights, how might one put to form the endopsychic dispositions that beg creation in the 'imaginal' realm of mind?
Terrance DePietro 12dec09

Uploaded

December 5th, 2009