The Wood Wife by Terri Windling
"You're a true artist, and artists always create themselves to begin with; then the more wildly inventive you are, the more you feel called upon to reinvent yourselves."
- Dorian by Will Self.
(The only good words I got out of that gawdawful book.
But it reminds me of the main character in the book below.)
I finished The Wood Wife by Terri Windling a few days ago. She says it was inspired by Brian Froud's fairies and I could definitely see his artwork fitting in the Arizona desert... Even I want to live there now and I've never seen it. I drove up the west coast once, but then a plane whisked me back to the east. There was no midwest, no long stretches of road, no wildlife and ribbons of color. Normally, if you search under a cold, dark, damp rock, I'll be there. But now I might be able to picture a hot, dark, sandy rock just as easily.
Arcosanti, in the heart of a desert valley, reminds me of that setting. Arcosanti is an urban community, an entire artist's vision of combining urban city with ecology to live in harmony and without waste. Jewel is living there now, and despite the heart ache and trials she says she's experiencing, the thought of an internship in the archives section still peeks my interest. It's part of what my library science, art and archeology interests were working towards. Preservation of their artwork, the records, Paolo Soleri's books. Only problem would be that I'd have to work on my charming disposition. I'm not exactly a team player...But the construction, the cooperation, it's all amazing.
If the hard work didn't keep you so rooted to the earth and soil, I could see Froud's fairies running wild around that settlement as well. I keep coming across this fierce desert-dwelling love in it's inhabitants. As if the rougher the landscape, the harsher the terrane, the more rooted and loyal it's survivers become.
So many people inspired by that land. Paolo Soleri and his commune-style hideaway. Windling listed Pablo Neruda, Edward Abbey, Charles Bowden, James Griffith, Janice Emily Bowers, Gary Nabhan, etc...
Undine mentioned that she enjoyed the book, and I'd have to agree. Took me a while to get past the first few pages, but after the rough start I didn't put it down. Plus, I usually like books centered around artists & creative people in general.
"If we marvel at the artist who has written a great book, we must marvel more at those people whose lives are works of art and who don't even know it, who wouldn't believe it if they were told. However hard work good writing may be, it is easier than good living."
- Katherine Paterson
(a quote mentioned in the book)