‘Root Beer Falls’ is a relief print carved out of MDF and printed in an edition of 15. It took 10 hours to draw and transfer, and 40 hours to carve. It was my introduction into a new era of printmaking outside of a classroom.
This piece was one of two commissions I completed for Rob, Mr. Tofte himself, and his family to capture their love of the North Shore on Lake Superior and the surrounding spaces it encapsulates. ‘Root Beer Falls’ is a view of the Temperance River, which has been carving its own path within rocks that are over a billion years old on the 5,000 acre state park. Root Beer Falls is located fairly close to the entrance off Highway 61, past a few bridges and over several hills you’ll find a joint in the river that’s rushing with foaming water resembling root beer. Hence the name Elise and Amelia coined years ago on their hikes around the park. It’s a beautiful little section of the Temperance that assists in directing the water down through these massive canyons yet to come on its own journey out into Lake Superior. I’ve been to this spot myself a few times in order to take reference photos and gain an appreciation for this space in our world that feels as old as time. It was a challenge to capture water direction and flow in a way I’ve never attempted in a carving before, but I especially love how defined each rock shelf ended up being in this piece. The depth is evident and the river feels vast, the feeling of endlessness just like how you feel when standing there in real life.
