Hannah Stewart's Hilltop Legacy
Given the popularity of Miller Outdoor Theater and
Hermann Park generally, and its prominent position on top of the hill,
this piece of local art of the abstract kind is well recognized and
has landmark status, but few know its title, not to mention the artist.
Atropos Key
Abstract bronze sculpture
by Hannah Holliday Stewart (1972)
The name of the piece refers to Atropos, one of the three Moirai, goddesses of fate and destiny in Greek mythology. Along with her sisters, Atropos was responsible for the destiny of humans. According to ancient myth, she worked the shears that cut the thread of life. Her sisters spun it and measured its length. A poisonous plant is also named for this mythological female figure (Deadly Nightshade).
Sculptor Stewart lived in Montrose. She worked and taught in Houston (UH and Univ. of St. Thomas) and later in life moved to New Mexico where she died in 2010. She had an enduring interest in astrology and cosmology and was known for the mystic out-of-this-world nature of her abstract creations. The Houston Chronicle published an insightful article by Molly Glentzer about Stewart's life and art in 2014.
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| Back seats in the seating area of Miller Theater with the art piece silhouetted against the sky |
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