Marine Artist Anne Brodie Hill - Lake Lanier Georgia

Press Release

"Longstreet Bridge, Lake Lanier, Ga." by Anne Brodie Hill

Local marine artist, Anne Brodie Hill, announces the release of her latest print, "Longstreet Bridge, Lake Lanier", fourth in the bridges of Lake Lanier series.

About the Bridge:

Longstreet Bridge is located north of Gainesville on the Cleveland highway 129 and 11. It was named for the Confederate general, James Longstreet, and was built by the Tidwell Construction Company of Douglasville, Ga. in 1956 and 1957 in a location approximately a mile downstream from the original Longstreet Bridge. The original bridge was taken down in 1957 as part of the relocation of several bridges on the Chattahoochee River in the creation of Lake Sidney Lanier. There was a memorial marker erected in 1935, placed there by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Longstreet Chapter, carved with the words " General James Longstreet, 1861-C.S.A.- 1865, Memorial Bridge". Part of this marker can be seen at the newer bridge. ( See pages 206-211 in the "Lake Sidney Lanier, A Storybook Site" by Robert David Coughlin www.lakelanierhistory.com)

About the name -Longstreet:

James Longstreet was a distinguished Confederate general in the Civil War. He was born in South Carolina in 1821 and died in Gainesville,Ga., in 1904. He served in the Mexican War after graduation from the U.S. Military Academy. He was a brave, dashing, and skillful Confederate officer at Bull Run, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. At Chickamauga in 1863, he led a decisive charge that broke the Union line, true to his nickname, the War-horse of the Confederacy. ( "Longstreet, James", Microsoft, R, Encarta, R, Online Encyclopedia 2000, http://encarta.msn.com copyright 1997-2000 Microsoft Corp. all rights reserved.)

After the Civil War, Longstreet bought and operated the Piedmont Hotel in Gainesville ( which is being restored by the Longstreet Society - the north wing of which will become the Longstreet museum). Also in 1875, Longstreet purchased 45 acres of farmland one mile north of the center of town and built a 2 story home and a vineyard. Artist Greg Johnson has been commissioned to do a sculpture of the General to be placed at the home site. ( The Longstreet Society, P.O. Box 191,Gainesville, GA 30503, 770-539-9005 - website: www.longstreet.org)

About the Painting:

Anne’s painting depicts Longstreet Bridge in September, 1998. There are two fishermen in a Ranger boat, winding their way up-river on a sunny, warm weekend. The powerful gas motor is off, and the silent battery-powered motor is pulling the boat forward. Using various lures, perhaps a spinner bait or a plastic worm, they hope to catch the elusive large mouth bass, unaware he is surfacing behind them. Is this large predator fish taking a look at his "enemies", or merely jumping to catch that juicy bug that landed in the water? But his splash will definitely cause the two fishermen to turn and remark "There he is"! As Anne has often heard from her friends that spend hours on Lake Lanier testing every new and old lure, bug, worm, and lizard available, "That’s why they call it FISHING instead of CATCHING"! The bridges on Lake Lanier are always a great place to begin the search for the Big One.

Anne’s new signed print is available in two sizes exclusively at Frames You-Nique on the Square in Gainesville,GA, 104 Main Street, and at Griffin’s Gallery and Gifts in Cumming, GA., exit 14, Hwy 20 next to Belks. Phone numbers are 770-532-7074 and 770-887-8071. The other bridges in Anne’s series of prints are "Brown’s Bridge"," Bolling Bridge", and "Clark’s Bridge" and her commemorative map collage print, "Lake Sidney Lanier 2000". You may see these prints and other paintings by Anne on her web site www.LakeLanierArt.com.