I stand mesmerized, watching him consider the next space before choosing a rock from a collection he's gathered over, not just months, but years. That's how long the vision has been in his mind.
To me, the rock he chooses looks like a perfect fit, but his eyes see more than mine can. He oh-so-gently taps and chips at it until it truly is a perfect match. I can see that now. No mortar or concrete will be required to hold it in place. Only sand. And it will last forever.
Before laying it in place, though, he carefully prepares its space with a small shovel and rake, using two levels to get it just the right angle and depth with the surrounding stones. Finally, he fills the gap between the new and old with sand.
Then he moves on to the next space and starts all over.
This is my husband's latest project, creating a beautiful oasis near a little pond that was tucked away so deep in juniper trees and undergrowth when we first stepped foot in Long Hollow that we didn't even know it was there. That's hard to imagine now.
It's my favorite place in the whole world, especially when the waterfalls are flowing.
He works on it every bit of spare time he has between his job and working on our old cars. If I worked on my books so diligently, I'd be on my tenth by now.
He's a true artist, getting a vision in his mind that gnaws at him until he sees it through. I admire his focus, his drive, his attention to detail.
Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression.
~Isaac Bashevis Singer
a Celtic cross inlaid in the front walkway
cedar sprigs imprinted on our front doorstep
He never says "That's good enough." His perfectionism in general can drive me crazy, but when it's channeled into the right areas, it blows me away...and inspires me to raise my own neglected artist within to a higher standard.
Art is when you hear a knocking from your soul — and you answer.
~Terri Guillemets
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Thank you, Hilary!
