Mc Way Falls and Light Art
McWay Falls exemplifies fluidity, profoundly influencing my luminous kinetic approach, as the continuous pristine water cascade onto an untouched beach.
The partly cloudy skies at McWay Falls reveal a teal, aqua marine blue, mixed with turquoise hues of the sea. The rocks by the water would be adorned with teal blue and turquoise tones. Swirling sand on reflected colors of deep aqua waters with shimmering glasslike white would move with the design.
I decided to unwind and create art at McWay Falls, laying out a few shells with vibrant colors for a light art to do at home. I noticed that the night brought fog with translucent clouds, creating swirls and haze similar to what my kinetic light art would produce. At night, I decided to create another layout of the dark sky with translucent lights piercing through the night, adding glowing effects.
The Story of McWay Falls
In 1924, Latham Brown, a U.S. congressman embarked on a journey to Big Sur with his wife, Hélène Hooper Brown. Their travels led them to acquire Saddle Rock Ranch, a 1,600-acre property. This property includes a seaside bluff called Saddle Rock, with breathtaking views of Saddle Rock Cove.
Hélène, a close friend of Julia Pfeiffer Burns, shared a profound connection until Julia’s Passing in 1928. For many years, Julia’s great-niece, Esther Julia Pfeiffer, and her husband, Hans Ewoldsen, cared for Saddle Rock Ranch devotedly. They resided in a charming redwood cabin perched on the cliffs, across from the breathtaking McWay Falls.
In 1940, they embarked on a transformation, constructing a modern two-story house named Waterfall House. The entrance of Waterfall House exhibited an exquisite brass fish, a golden octopus, and a compass rose. Upon entering, the well-appointed interior was found striking, featuring exquisite furniture and classic paintings that exuded an air of timelessness.
During the construction of the Carmel-San Simeon Highway through Big Sur, the foreman at Saddle Rock Ranch, Hans Ewoldsen, found himself working in the machine shop of the highway crew. His job was to create a “Pelton Wheel” utilizing redwood from the canyon, among other materials there. In 1932, he successfully installed the innovative wheel on McWay Creek a water-powered wheel that served as the first electric power source in the Big Sur region. It played a crucial role in powering three houses, a blacksmith shop, and a delightful funicular railway, revolutionizing the area’s energy landscape.
In 1956, Lathrop and Hélène Brown embarked on a journey to Florida, where Lathrop’s untimely passing in 1959 left a profound impact. In 1961, Hélène Hooper Brown, driven by her deep admiration for her friend Julia Pfeiffer Burns, a true trailblazer, donated the entire property to the state.
She stipulated that the land would transform into a park and be named in Julia’s honor. Hélène also requested that Waterfall House be transformed into a museum, exhibiting rich indigenous Indian artifacts, plants, and animals of the California coast, as well as historical items from the Big Sur region.
Unfortunately, due to competing museums vying for attention, a lack of financial resources, and the challenging accessibility of the site, the museum’s completion was delayed.
Eventually, the mansion was demolished in 1965. In a fitting tribute to the past, an overlook of McWay Falls was constructed where the old home once stood, preserving the memory of Lathrop and Hélène Brown’s remarkable journey.
