Vol.81 Autumn in the Catskills

Autumn in the Catskills

Although I miss the magnificent fall foliage of Japan, I can see great foliage
in the United States – especially the golden leaves which are spectacular!

I went to the Catskills in early October to see the leaves, but unfortunately,
the peak of autumn foliage had already passed.

My friend Susan Dennison and Ellen Wong and I drove to North-South Lake

and ate a picnic lunch while enjoying beautiful nature in the Catskills.

This time I not only wanted to see the fall foliage, but I wanted to visit the
Thomas Cole House , the home and studio of the
famous American landscape painter. I needed to do research for my new novel,
“Waiting for You” (the sequel to “Find Me”), because the Catskills and
Thomas Cole will be featured in an important passage.

Thomas Cole (1801-1848) came to the United States from England in 1818
and was the first major artist to draw and paint the wild, untouched natural
beauty of the Catskill Mountains of the Hudson River Valley, northwest of
New York City.

Other painters who followed him are called members of the “Hudson River

School”,with Cole recognized as the founder.

Thomas Cole House is where he lived from his marriage until his death and
is now open to the public.

Unfortunately, taking photographs inside is not permitted, but we can
experience 19th Century American life and view his studio which is
called “The Birthplace of American Art”.
However, this house does not actually have many of his paintings.
You can see more of his paintings at The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York Historical Society and the Brooklyn Museum in New York City.

Later that day, I went to see Catskill Falls, the waterfall Thomas Cole made
famous in his drawings and paintings. The three-stage waterfall is so dynamic,
especially with more water than usual from yesterday’s rain.

(Due to the heavy rainfall in this region right before my visit, some roads were
closed and the river was high and a muddy brown color from the runoff.)

There was a photograph of Cole’s Catskill Falls painting on display board
of the waterfall.

How did he get to this waterfall deep in the forest during the era of no

automobiles? I had to admire his dedication and obsessiveness in hiking

through the wilderness to paint the beauty of nature.

When I returned to New York, I was overwhelmed by the incredible sunset.
God is a great artist, because only God can make beautiful sunsets.

In my new book, “Waiting for You”, a painter, who loves heroin Yuko, tells her,
“I guess that landscape painter, Thomas Cole, fought to capture wild,
untamed nature created by God”.

Although I do not know yet when the book will be published,
after enjoying nature in the Catskills in autumn, I am motivated to finish this
novel even more.