The Lake House
Veronica Lake and Fallingwater
"I never did cheesecake; I just used my hair." - VL
Available as:
Fine Art Print on Paper with 1" White Border for Easy Framing
Each print is hand-signed by the artist. The 12"x12" print contains a 10"x10" image.
Limited Edition Giclee Print on Canvas with Black Frame, 20"x20"
This special series of 50 Limited Edition Series Prints are exact replicas of the original paintings. They include a certificate of authenticity signed by the printer and the artist, and are hand-signed and numbered. The frame is black and sits 1 1/2" from the wall.
About the Painting:
Having just finished painting Audrey wearing the Guggenheim, I knew I wanted to paint a whole series of iconic women wearing Frank Lloyd Wright buildings as hats. I definitely wanted Fallingwater to be one of these hats and the only question that remained was, “Who would wear it?”
Fallingwater is tricky enough to capture as a hat because of the waterfall that flows out of the house and trickles downstream. I needed to find a unique way to incorporate this into my painting and the obvious solution was to turn the waterfall into the model’s hair. Now I needed to find an iconic platinum blond whose hairstyle could double as a waterfall. That’s when the image of Veronica Lake came to me. Known for her luxurious hair falling over her eye, she was the perfect choice. It was easy to picture her in my painting. Appearing like a mermaid, I painted Veronica with both of her alluring eyes exposed and her playfulness expressed through sly smirk. To me, Veronica’s playful and sultry appearance helped reinforce the cheekiness behind the original inspiration for the entire series.
Wright’s philosophy of design was to bring the “outside in”, which is very apparent in this house. I struggled for months trying to complete the background in this painting. Finally it occurred to me that I could reverse his philosophy and bring the “inside out.” I took the colours and patterns of the carpets and furnishings that Wright used inside the house and used them in my background. I tried to use Frank’s bright and vibrant colours to depict the trees on the right side of the canvas, but it just didn’t work. In frustration, I put a pale yellow wash over them and prepared to repaint them. When I saw the effect of the yellow wash on the painting I thought it looked truly beautiful with its new muted background. It was a happy accident that ended up as part of the finished piece.
As I started to incorporate Veronica’s hair into the falling water, the colourful Group of Seven-like rocks appeared and seemed to flow from my brush like the water rolling over them.
– Karen Robb
About Veronica Lake (1922-1973)
Vernoica Lake was an American actor that became famous during the Second World War, and known primarily for her peekaboo hairstyle and sensual appeal. Young women across the nation imitated her signature cut. Serious accidents caused by hair being caught in machinery caused the US government to commission a video by Lake begging young women to choose a more practical style. Lake cultivated a public image of rejecting the cuthroat Hollywood sexual culture, but she was a pragmatist at heart and navigated the system adeptly. She was well known for her love of parties and high profile affairs within the industry. Lake received her pilot's license in 1946 and flew solo from Los Angelas to New York when leaving her then-husband. Her legacy in film includes Sullivan's Travels, The Blue Dahlia, I Married a Witch, and This Gun For Hire.
"I've reached a point in my life where it's the little things that matter... I was always a rebel and probably could have got much farther had I changed my attitude. But when you think about it, I got pretty far without changing attitudes. I'm happier with that." - VL
Prints
Prints on Paper
Your fine art print is a Magiclee Verona 250hd smooth cotton fine art print created here in Winnipeg by my professional printer to ensure the closest fidelity to the original. Each print will be hand signed by me, the artist.
Prints on fine art paper include a white border for easy framing, which can also act as a mat. Therefore, your image will be smaller than its total paper size. Border sizes are stated and shown in the photo of each listing.
- Ex: A 12"x12" print contains a 10"x10" image
Giclee Prints on Canvas with Black Frame, Limited Edition
- The Special Series of 50 Limited Edition Prints are exact replicas of the original paintings.
- Limited Edition Canvas Prints include a certificate of authenticity signed by the printer and the artist.
- These prints are also signed and numbered on the back of each canvas by the artist.
- Frames are black and sit 1 1/2" from the wall.
Shipping
I currently ship within Canada and the Continental United States. Each print is hand packed by me to ensure its safe arrival. Please understand that I am a single artist, working full time, and printing each painting to order, so expect up to three weeks for arrival.
I provide budget-friendly Domestic shipping within Canada, however Canada Post does not provide a tracking number for this method. You will receive a notification from my store when your painting has been shipped.
If you live in the United States, Canada Post does provide a tracking number that will be included in your shipping notification.
If you do not receive an email stating that your painting has shipped within two weeks, please contact me.
In the unlikely event there is a problem during shipping, please photograph the packaging and the problem and contact me so that I can contact the Post.
Free pickup in Winnipeg. Please contact me for information.
Returns and Exchanges
All prints are made to order and signed by me. Unfortunately, I cannot provide returns or exchanges.
Copyright and Reposting
I retain all intellectual property rights to my artwork, including commissions, and artwork cannot be reproduced or used for profit without my consent. Prints may be displayed for personal or decorative public use. Please contact me for more information about using my artwork in other contexts, such as commercial advertising or promotional use.
If you wish to share or repost my work on social media, such as Instagram, you must credit me and link your post to my profie, @artbykarenrobb. Thank you.
