FOLLOW THE WATER
Artist Anne Diggory explores the Ausable River Watershed
Long before I became aware of the many sources and meanderings of the Ausable River and its branches and tributaries, I had unwittingly painted many of the related flows. Only recently, through becoming aware of the work of the Ausable River Association, have I begun to understand where the water I was painting had come from and where it was headed – how it gets from Mt Marcy, the Ausable Lakes and Lake Placid to Lake Champlain. I have been inspired to understand the visual qualities of each of the waterways and the surrounding terrain that make up the watershed. I am in the process of assembling a body of work that will help people visualize the watershed and how it has inspired my artwork. Future collaborations with the Ausable River Association will bring attention to their work to protect the streams and lakes, their water quality, and the many forms of life that depend on them.
Lower Ausable Lake from Indian Head Indian Falls, Marcy Brook Lake Placid/Whiteface Mt.
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A recent work, Ausable Odalisque, shows the water from all of these sources, flowing into Lake Champlain amidst the bones of tree trunks and sand.
In the last 30 years I have created over 40 artworks of the area, and I am now exploring and creating new ones. The natural forces that inspire me include the moving water and the land forms that both shape them and are shaped by them. It is always a challenge to choose the forms, colors and textures that can evoke that movement or that change over time. I often do many versions of the same location, each with a different focus.
Since I work out of Saratoga Springs, the southern part of the watershed is much more familiar to me and many of my further explorations will be further north. I hope to eventually arrange some exhibitions that will include maps and writings to accompany the work.
A selection from the watershed :
Clockwise from the upper right: (* in exhibition in September in New York City 2021 at Blue Mt Gallery, or available at gallery at that time)
*Ausable Odalisque, 16x20" outlet into Lake Champlain 2021
*Ausable Glow , 14x11" Ausable Chasm 2019
*Diversion, Hulls Falls, 18x24" 2020
Spillway, 74x54" Mossy Cascade (private collection) 2003
*White Lightning, 46x36" Roaring Brook Falls 2019
Approaching Noon 15x20" Ausable Lake from Indian Head (private collection) c2004
Eos (dawn) 50x65" Indian Falls, Mt Marcy (private collection) 2000
*Mid-day Majesty (Lake Placid) 2015
* Interlude 16x20" (near Lake Placid) 2021
*River Carving 24x30" (near Wilmington) 2019
I have initially divided the watershed into eight areas to group my work, although I imagine those groupings will eventually change a little. Not all tributaries are represented yet. In the future, links to each section will take you to more information
EAST BRANCH
1. From Upper Ausable Lake to the Ausable Club, the East Branch begins (Rainbow Falls included)2.Three steep tributaries into the East Branch of the Ausable in Keene Valley
3: The East Branch between Keene Valley and Jay and some tributaries
WEST BRANCH
4. From Mt Marcy and Indian Pass, Heart Lake) to the beginning of the West Branch of the Ausable (other tributaries to be explored)5. Lake Placid and Chubb River into the West Branch (Chubb River still to be explored)
6. Between Lake Placid and Ausable Forks via Wilmington Flume
7. Taylor Pond/River area (still to be explored)
AUSABLE RIVER
8. Ausable Forks, Keeseville and Ausable Chasm into Lake Champlain
Red dots indicate where I have already painted.
Updates to the project, new paintings, are often posted on my facebook page
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IMAGES FROM THE SECTIONS
I will be adding information about my past and current artwork from each section, here are some samples. All contain at least a sliver of water; for nowI have left out the paintings of mountains that form the watershed.
Revisit this site when I get more labels and more art. It will likely get redesigned or on its separate site. And maybe a book. If this project is something you want updates for,Contact me.
Section one The Ausable Lakes and nearby tributaries to East Branch of Ausable River
The trip to see the lakes and research historic paintings can be seen in the Adirondack Almanac
Upper Ausable Lake 2004 and 2005 at Inlet Camp with Pat Quinn
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Freshness of Morning. Private Collection
The series of four studies as the weather cleared, all 4x6" (Gothics and Pyramid)
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Lower Ausable Lake
"Westons Ausable" 8x10" "Approaching Noon from Indian Head" private collection
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Rainbow Falls
"This Gorging Good" 1995 'Muted Deluge' 1995
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Section two: Three steep tributaries into the East Branch of the Ausable in Keene Valley
In 1991, in my first foray into the Ausable watershed, I started sketching and painting alongside waters in the Keene Valley area on day trips and short stays. Some of the smaller works inspired large works in the studio. For many years Mossy Cascade has provided inspiration with its vertical dance between steps of water and steps of stone. And it was there that I learned that if I paint next to a waterfall, I need to wear rain gear to avoid getting slowly soaked by the mist.
MOSSY CASCADE near Keene Valley
1991 Dark Falls 1998 12x9" Mossy Cascade 2003 Collection of AYCO, Saratoga Springs
1991 Mossy Steps 1991 Remaining Ice
1991 1991 "Arachne" private collection 2003 "Spillway" 74x54" private collection
Collection of Siena College 1998 "Long Division" Collection of Siena College 1999 50x58"
Inspired by Roaring Brook Falls, near Keene Valley NY
Triptych in private collection, from 1996 "Approach"
White Lightning, 48x36 mixed media on canvas 2019 Afternoon Retreat, 20x16, acrylic on canvas 2018
Fall Lines, 14x11" Acrylic on panel 2019 Study for White Lightning , 32x32" mixed media on canvas 2019
Inspired by the Flume Brook
A friend, Pat Quinn, told me about Flume Brook, on private land with a dramatic passageway between rock faces. She arranged permission for me to be there to paint for two days and then I continued on a larger version in the studio. Although the water is only a trickle, with the dramatic narrow gap and pile of boulders you get the sense of the past power of water and a passage of time. All four were composed to feel congested with a limited option to scramble to the distant open space.
Three done on site and last one in the studio.
1998 "Trapped" 22.5x30 Private Collection 1998 "Flume Pool" 22.5x30"
1998 Split Procession, 24.75x16.75" Siena College 1999 Stairway of Stone, 80x50" Siena College
Section 3 Keene Valley to Ausable Forks (likely to become more than one section)
Beaver Pond , 20x28" 1995
"At the Bend," 3x10" private collection 2017
"Diversion, Hulls Falls" 18x24" 2021 "Resting Place, Hulls Falls" 18x24" 2021
"Streamside" (Hulls Falls), 8x10" 2021
Section 4 Mt Marcy to the Loj Road, with tributaries
2000? 2000 Tangents
2000 "Eos" (Dawn) private collection 50x65"
Marcy Brook (private collection) 1995
Plus many of Heart Lake
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Section #5 Lake Placid to the Western Ausable
Mid-day Majesty, 2014
Evening Folds
Section #6 from Lake Placid to Ausable Forks - the Western Ausable
"Interlude at Intervale"16x20" finished 2021
High Falls Gorge
9.5x8.5 Cleft 2005 Points of View 2014 Points of View II 2014
Wilmington Notch Falls "Restless Gleam" 2005 16x20" Wilmington Gorge 12.5 x 10" 2005
Wilmington Flume area
River Carving 24x30" acrylic on canvas 2019 Ausable Carving 16x20" acrylic on canvas 2019
Ausable Twist 36 x 60" hybrid media on canvas 2019
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Section 8 Ausable Forks to Champlain
Near Clintonville "Three way split" 16x20 2021
Keeseville ( during 2018 Keeseville Plein Air)
4x8" private collection
2021 on way back from getting Plattsburgh vaccination. 8x10
Ausable Chasm
1992 Ausable Bridge 14x18.75 (private collection) 2018 Chasm Glow 14x11 2018
Ausable Point area
Ausable Odalisque 16x20 2021 Sunlit Shore 12x13" (Near outlet, from canoe) 2021
For more information on the hybrid approach that combines photography and painting go to http:hybridvisions.diggory.com
To Contact Anne or be added to her email alerts, click here and scroll down
Online catalogue of hybrid work is at http:hybridvisions.diggory.com
Online catalogue of Saratoga Treescapes: Saratogatrees.diggory.com
Inventory of work up to 2002 www.diggory.com/cd
©All Rights Reserved Anne Diggory 2014