[DESCRIPTIONS]
The new issue of Virginia Living Magazine is out! Look to the back page to find the "Curse Tree" illustration. Thanks again to the Art Director, Tyler Darden for the great opportunity. The story that I wrote with it is below.
Entangled in the roots of Jamestown’s “curse tree” are the tombs of Dr. James Blair and his wife, Sarah Harrison Blair. Legend says that the giant sycamore tree that sprouted between the lovers is the haunted manifestation of a disapproving mother-in-law. Cursing the union of her daughter to the much older suitor, she avowed to never rest until the marriage was dissolved. After her passing, the lovers lived happily ever after, or so it would seem.
Dr. Blair led a distinguished public life in Jamestown with his wife, until her passing in 1713. James Blair was laid to rest, next to her, in 1743. Soon thereafter, the “curse tree” took root between the graves, and separated the lovers as it grew, pushing the two over seven feet apart, and placing the remains of Sarah Harrison Blair within inches of the tomb of her mother.
11 comments:
Wow, that's a really really beautiful picture - one of your best!
nice piece Sterling! It had me scoping it for a while
terrific piece. so luminous!
Not only is the concept beautifully intelligent (as usual), the directness of your writing is also.
I am only taking a guess, but is the "white" of the tree above and the "black" of the roots below supposed to represent heaven and hell, thus being the mothers heaven and the lovers hell?
The term "Till death do us part..." is quite literal here, huh?
Again, beautiful piece Sterling!
Kenn- Thank you for the input. The working relationship with Tyler Darden at Virginia Living magazine is the best that I've experienced. It allows me to create better work, I believe.
Francis- thank you. I'll try to consolidate the process post for the curse tree so that it is more complete.
Guy- thank you.
TheMAndrew- Thank you. The writing is always secondary to the image in the assignments for Virginia Living. I have very little real estate to establish the written story.
As far as the idea- you put it much more eloquently than I. I like deal with the ideas of perception vs. reality, or the real vs. the imagined, quite often in my images, using some device to split between the two. Above the ground is what actually happened- the tree growing between the two graves.
Beneath the earth, is what I have imagined: I've used the roots of the curse tree to create an enchanted forest of sorts, where neither lover is complete, and they endlessly search for each other through the misty landscape.
Very perceptive Andrew! "Till death do us part", indeed.
Man-- this piece is just awesome. Amazing work Sterling. I keep looking at it again and again, and find new things to like with each new look.
Very cool Mr.Hundley....it is always a joy to illustrate an interesting story like this one.....and always a beautiful execution!
wow sterling, that is a really interesting story and a really haunting image, i can't stop searching through those roots, the mood underground is incredible and the tree itself has a lot of character.
I definitely need to follow through with getting some copies of this issue from tyler. This piece is great.
Very nice piece Sterling. Do I smell another gold medal in your future?
Charlie g- Thank you- I'm glad it's held your attention.
Jorge- The story was a fun find. Next issue- George Rogers Clark. The history component always helps validate the fantasy components. I hope that you are well.
Annika- Thank you very much. You and Charlie both hit at my intent in the illustration- this idea of the two lovers searching for each other through this "enchanted" forest created by the roots of the tree.
Kenny- I'm hoping to get some prints run off of this image, and others- once I get a bit of money for an archival printer.
Neal- Thank my friend. I take it that you are back from your honeymoon- I hope that her parents approved...(story reference)
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