Forever Wild
Canvas: 24” x 36”
[Not For Sale]
Artist Statement
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever.—Revelations 22:5 (KJV)
On the morning of the Celebration of Life for my uncle, Dennis Horton, I walked outside to see the sunrise over “Elly,” The Horton’s home. I looked at the grape vines stretching out across the hills, framed by a fortress of trees and the Blue Ridge Mountains. I suddenly imagined my uncle looking down from the clouds at Aunt Sharon tending to the grapes below. Later that morning, I went to Monticello with family members and was reminded of my uncle’s creativity, energy, determination and passion for discovery. But, unlike Jefferson, Dennis’ vision for Virginia wine actually came to life with Sharon’s tireless grit and know how, along with their deep trust and faith in each other. They founded Horton Vineyards and restored the Norton varietal, ‘America’s wild vine.’ Often in his last months, Dennis would look out at what they created and say “We did this.” I myself was both a little terrified of and in awe of him—he was a wild vine indeed.
In the image, the sky is in sunset, but the land is lit by an eternal sunrise. The sunset represents Dennis’ passing and the sunrise symbolizes how his original dream has been birthed in their daughter Shannon and granddaughter Caitlin who now carry that light forward.