When We Dream of Wild Places

When We Dream of Wild Places

​"When We Dream of Wild Places" - acrylic on Arches 300 lb paper, 22 x 30.  NFS.  Prints available.  Inquiries at [email protected]

“The true secret in being a hero lies in knowing the order of things. The swineherd cannot already be wed to the princess when he embarks on his adventures, nor can the boy knock on the witch's door when she is already away on vacation. The wicked uncle cannot be found out and foiled before he does something wicked. Things must happen when it is time for them to happen. Quests may not simply be abandoned; prophecies may not be left to rot like unpicked fruit; unicorns may go unrescued for a very long time, but not forever. The happy ending cannot come in the middle of the story.” 
― Peter S. Beagle,  The Last Unicorn

​Knowing the order of things... the slice of pie cannot come before the baking of it.  The book in your head cannot be read by others before it is written.  A great love cannot come before the time it takes to really know and treasure someone.  And a painting cannot come before the paint itself.

In the middle of the story, it is hard not to push toward the happy ending.  In the middle of this painting, it was hard not to call it "done", when what it really wanted was a complete change of color palette (which it did indeed receive, after much gnashing of teeth and general tantrum-ness on my part).

The order of things has been on my mind.  And the universe gave me the above unicorn wisdom in the midst of my pondering.  And it then double nudged me with this quote from Tony award winner Andre De Shields:   Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be.  Oh!  Maybe I'll take a long nap to be sure this sinks in.  Isn't the order of things THINK, NAP, KNOW?