29 May PAINTING STORY: Maiden of Lake Jocassee and Eclectic Sun
Maiden of Lake Jocassee
During the 1700’s, there was a thriving Cherokee nation that lived in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains which is located in the upstate of South Carolina. Little did a Cherokee maiden in that time era, named Jocassee, know that her name would become a legend.
Last year Maria and I gave an Experiential Workshop at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.
It was warm and sunny in the Appalachian Mountains outside of Greenville, so we took a day to drive out to Lake Jocassee, a must-see if you are near the area!
Lake Jocassee is situated in the foothills of the Appalachians, surrounded by forests.
The water was crystal clear with miles of nooks and crannies to explore.
Maria at Lake Jocassee with Riviera Standup Paddleboard
The lake was perfect for standup paddleboards, and the water was still warm the second week of October.
It was peaceful and picturesque. There are many mountain trails around the lake and waterfalls around the area.
After a great day of paddling and exploring the lake, we met Debbie, owner of Eclectic Sun Paddlesports. She loved our painted van and seven months later, Debbie commissioned me to create artwork for her company logo.
It’s funny how taking a vacation always gets me new business!
The Design:
When I create a new piece of art, it’s important to me to capture something that’s real about the subject.
When I researched the history of the Lake, I found hand-drawn pictures of Native Americans standup-paddling their canoes. Maybe they were the first standup paddlers! I imagine this place was very special to them.
The lake is named after a maiden Cherokee named Jocassee. Legend has it that a broken-hearted Jocassee walked on the water to greet the ghost of her beloved, who had been murdered. Her name has come to be known as “The Place of the Lost one.”
So it seemed fitting to paint my version of the beautiful maiden Jocassee “walking on water” using a standup paddleboard, across the lake.
The painting was created with paint pens on canvas board, sized 12″ x 18″. Eclectic Sun bought the original painting.
Below you can see pictures of the different uses of the artwork for Eclectic Sun. If you ever find yourself at Lake Jocassee, stop in and see Debbie and tell her hello for me!
Life is Good – Drew
Winona Hobart
Posted at 11:51h, 30 MarchI love this painting and have bought anything I could with it on it! Love this lake as well- two of my favorite family members, (Carrie and Kenny) work at the park and every time we visit from Florida we boat around the lake and I try to stand under the waterfalls- an amazing massage, lol.
This must have been an important place to the Natives; it’s still magical to me. Not to mention the water is cool and clear! No alligators…..
Debbie Laughridge
Posted at 03:34h, 13 NovemberThank you, Drew and Maria! This painting shows the philosophy of Eclectic Sun in vibrant illustration. The day you guys stopped by Jocassee with your son and your hand-painted van was only the start of many years of appreciation and gratitude for your talent and approach to life. Thank you so much.