Sacred Scars, Shadowed Ground

Sacred Scars, Shadowed Ground is a visual narrative of my walks on the battlefields of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County. Last fall, I spent a week observing and listening to the fields, trying to grasp the emotion of the ground. Today, the battlefields are beautiful, tranquil examples of central Virginia countryside, but we know that they hold stories of sadness, horror, bravery, courage, sacrifice, rage, fear, and relief. Some of the stories are famous. Most art forgotten almost as quickly as they began, lost in the blood and chaos of war. Many stories include some of the most famous people in American history, but a vast majority are of anonymous men and women. Native Americans speak often about "listening to the land", connecting with an environment that has strong feelings associated with it. I've tried to listen to these fields and capture with my images the emotional essence of the stories that are still being written."

Larry Stuart
www.larrystuartstudio.com