Sarah Maitland – Gossip from the Forest
“May is the magic month in the greenwood. Gradually, through its bright four weeks, the roof of the forest thickens into summer density, the fan-vaulting of winter branches filling in and blurring with leaf dance. There is a mysterious brightness, a golden quality to the May green which will soon deepen into the heavier dark richness of full summer”
I aspire to be able to craft such sentences.
Whilst stumbling in the woods behind my house a few weeks ago, trying to find paths that in reality are just thicket, my ‘struggle’ was also with conceiving a way to transform my Rowan-look-alike leaves from whimsy to full, wonderful, meaningful ‘nature of change’ venture.
That inspiring book ‘Gossip from the Forest’ came to mind again and I wondered how the project would look through Sara’s eyes. Could I contact her?
I think the best kind of thinking is accompanied by walking, would Sara walk with me and share her thoughts? With the greatest good – nay, unbelievable – luck, Sara has said YES!
So we’ll walk together in the woods, sit in ‘my’ glade, ponder leaves, and she will write something that will become part of the artwork. We don’t know the format – that’s part of the process – but it feels as though the best thing that could possibly happen just did.
