The Tower by Chipka
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No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
The sun is only a theory today: clouds have a different agenda and so morning, when it arrives, is a curdled and bumpy thing in all of the colors of vapor and obscurity. The lake—to the east—laps restlessly at its shore. Migrant birds sing in tree-boughs and peck the moist earth for worms and insects, worms and seeds, and fat, finger-pink grubs with shiny black heads.
Where lake meets land, joggers display themselves like fine, equine specimens. In some sense, it is likely that they embody the ideal of the centaur, and yet there is no true grace to them, only nylon runners’ wear and expensive (and invariably white) shoes. The eye focuses westward, however, away from the joggers in their nylon shorts and their expensive running shoes. The eye is drawn to the towers that skirt one north/south street or another. They are staggered, like the natural growth of forest, the buildings themselves mimicking the slow transition from barren land, grassland, and dark primordial forest. The taller buildings stand farther away from the lake; more squat constructions enjoy a nearer proximity to the water. But here, where the eye’s restless gaze steals a moment of rest, a single tower looms above the trees. An old tower. It’s name is obscure and impossible to recall. But there, beneath the curdled sky, it stands, while far from its eastern face, joggers display themselves, heedless to all but their heart and respiration rates. The tower has seen many things in its existence and joggers are little more than a transitory distraction.
***
I took this picture last spring, shortly after my return to the USA. I’d spent the night at Corey’s place—the one he shared with a painter. The painter was not painting at the time this picture was taken, and Corey was not yet functionally awake. Rather than drag him out, I simply asked to borrow his keys. He gave me the keys and out I went, avoiding dog-deposits that had mysteriously escaped human attention; pet owners are supposed to pick them up and put them in...well...in doggy bags, but these particular artifacts were left where they'd fallen. I hopscotched around them and kept my gaze downcast for most of my eastward trek. Thankfully Chicago sidewalks aren't the doggy mine-fields they used to be. I managed this capture on a return from the lakefront, as well as a few others, and though I liked the original version of the building by the park, I thought it needed a little something, and so I did a little something to it. Just a little.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’ve had a great weekend and are on the verge of a good week.
Comments (27)
Magical vision!Fantastic image as well the words are!! The sky is superb. All is perfect to put the imagination working!
I am so glad, that you had occasionally the opportunity to look up sometimes, to show us this high-riser, nothing beautiful about it (most buildings aren't anyway), on the contrary... it looks rather spooky, just like the house on the hill from the movie: 'Psycho', well the curdled sky helped a bit. (Joggers and dogs should have their on path, me thinks) Nice touch of 'colour' ! BB
I love the lit windows! The tower seems alive and watching, if not the joggers, then something. Wonderful postwork! It could be the cover of a Gothic novel. I expect to see a woman in white, fleeing, head turned in despair back towards the tower. Hopefully she would turn it back soon to see better where she was fleeing to, but the power of that watching building would draw her eyes repeatedly to it as she tried to escape its clutches. The clouds are magnificent and I love the trees in the top two corners. They frame beautifully and add to the darkness of the scene. Excellent image and narrative!
Fantastic work; what an eerie sort of atmosphere!
Impressive atmospheric piece! Nice work!
Oh, I like this image. I am one of probably quite a few that have noticed your postworking style of late...dramatic, arresting, forceful, different...getting closer to the sort of scene you've described eloquently above and maybe even more so in "The Tracks", or "Where the River Runs Gold and Black", just to name a few. As for your story tonight...great description and a fine set up for some grisly crime to ooze onto the nearest police precinct's blotter. Way to go!
Incredible image and excellent words. Looks like the kind of place where all sorts of sinister happenings take place. Or just a lot of old folks pass the day playing bingo or checkers...
Great.
You know...speaking of those doggy bags...what people do around here is they pick the pooop up in their bag so everyone can see what a fantastic friend of the earth they are. Then, when no one is looking, they through it over someone's fence. Now as I live on the beach, guess whose garden gets the turds!!
Strange and dark atmosphere ! Beautiful artwork dear friend !
You are doing some very amazing things lately. This brings to mind Alfred Hitchcock--I can almost see and hear him tell the story about to be shown. And what was that music, yep I can hear it now, too! REALLY great stuff!!
Très belle photographie et atmosphère.
It is anamazint building and a really beautiful shot Chip.
Wonderfully creepy picture (I'm sure the residents would be horrified to hear their abode describe as such...!) and marvelous narrative. Fantastic.
Positively Gothic! You mention two of my pet hates..irresponsible dog owners, and Joggers. What makes a jogger think that, while exhuding testosterone and adrenalin, he/she is immune to the natural reaction of an animal approached suddenly from behind?
What a impressive creepy house...! Excellent
You had me on the edge of my seat with only a description of the buildings off Lakeshore Drive. Wow. That's some nice writing, my friend! I've been loving your recent photography posts too, but keep forgetting to mention them. The drama you're conveying is spectacular!
Fantastic photo always a pleasure to see ur work.
Oh man that look like an Hunted House, Excellent F/X
This tower might well be the central figure in some supernatural thriller. It seems dark and foreboding and gazes down upon the viewer with an ancient(or at least well forgotten) menace. Maybe terrible things have happened there and now people see it as a place of dread. Like those ghost stories of the old house close to the old creek - at least where I grew up.
very beautiful!!
terrific, great image! the mood is eerie, weird and almost a day after image....
Beautiful. Love the old skyscrapers.
Very nice!
Outstanding work and story line my friend.
Outstanding work!
A very chilling capture, this would make a superb location for a supernatural gorefest, the sky has an eerie magnificence and the bulding looms down watching your every move. Superb work.