This photograph has a wide array of images and vivid colors. There appears to be a magical fairy whose light is bright to help the villagers to find her so she can use her illumination to heal the wounded when wars break out in the North and South by villagers who want to claim the land and create an autocratic society where freedom is not a right. I am always interested in what you see in my bark abstracts. I choose trees that have the most vivid illustrations and am amazed at how many tell a compelling story if we can speak in pictures. I choose this part of the tree for its wonderful imagery. It also is a great workout for the imagination to write a story about what you see. I enjoy perceiving the imagery and writing imaginative and metaphoric tales that often have a subtext about human nature and the destructive forces in our lives today. I also like to pair the images with children’s literature to expose those who have not read or are not aware of the great children’s classics until they become a film that cannot describe the magical content and amazing characters of the books. Here is an example of an image I perceived and the short story I began to write as an example of projection (the images you perceive) and storytelling (how the story evolves from the imagery) inspired by the vast array of colorful illustrations: The first image I saw was a Chinese Wizard who rules a medieval civilization and for decades has diffused the conflict for the greater good. His face is carved on this sacred mountain that is visible in the center of the photograph. Look closely and you can see a large head with slanted eyes and the blue hat of a Royal on top of his golden face. The years of war and the loss on his beloved wife and sons have had a profound effect on his resolve to restore harmony to the land. Like the imaginative and great characters of The Neverending Story, he and his officials become animated when they change form and emerge out of the mountain as a sign of their power to defeat adversity. Enemies or those who follow his leadership and are exposed as traitors must suffer the same retribution. They are flung into a maze of death and forced to run from an unforgiving and unavoidable creature, a horrible monster, spawned from the darkest madness ever known in the universe. He and his wife, had a daughter who you can see standing next to thr carved face of her father on the lower left. She has the white blond hair of her mother who was born in the Northlands. One of my favorite books is the Neverending Story. I can also see a character in the photograph that are fantastic creatures that inhabit Fantasia where a strange force called “The Nothing” is starting to take over their world and has the power to make things and the people disappear. The group consists of Teeny Weeny and his racing snail, a Nighhob and his “stupid bat” and a giant Rockeater. When in need, the villagers visit the Empress of Fantasia at the Ivory Tower and ask her for help. Unfortunately, the Empress is deathly ill and summons a great warrior from a tribe of the Plains. People named him Atreyu. When he arrives he is give a magical medallion called the Auyn that acts as a guide and symbol of the Empress’ authority in requesting assistance. The Nothing has summoned a wolf- vampire called the Gmork to kill Atreyu during his journey. Atreyu trudges through the Swamps of Sadness to find Moria, a wise being that can help him defeat the powerful force of evil, The Nothing. On his way through the swamps, Artax is overcome by depression and sadness and begins to sink to his doom. Artax drowns in the swamps, leaving Atreyu heartbroken and alone. He finds Moria, a giant turtle-like creature. Moria claims not to know how to help the Empress, but knows who would know the Southern Oracle. Moria leaves and continues through the swamps letting the sadness take him and he starts to sink. The Gmork is near and preparing his attack when Atreyu sees a flying white creature that swoops down from the sky and picks him up just before he passes out. Falkor, the luckdragon who resembles a dragon with a canine head and big brown eyes has saved our hero’s life. He flies Atreyu all the way to the Southern Oracle to meet Alkor and his caretakers, two old gnomes named Engywook and Rugl who give Atreyu advice on crossing the lengths of the Southern Oracle. I think I read and watched the movie of The Neverending Story with my son Kevie about a dozen times after repeatedly reading the book on my own. It has all the ingredients of a masterful fantasy with great characters that represent the forces of good and evil. The Nothing is a powerful and formidable enemy, a dark mysterious force made from the misery of those with no hopes and no dreams. The only way it can be destroyed is if the princess receives a new name from an Earthling Child. The Neverending story is another book written for children that has a powerful impact like the Chronicles of Narnia and the Earthsea Trilogy. I often pair my photographs with poetry, imaginative literature and other narratives that deliver an artistic package. Over many years, I have discovered that some of the most intriguing and imaginative books are written for children with a subplot for adults. Although some of the movies remain true to the original book, others fall short so I recommend reading the books before seeing the films based on children’s books in the fantasy genre. All of the books I have written about were the foundation for the movies. The Harry Potter films, A Wrinkle In Time and Alice in Wonderland are more examples of this fascinating genre that takes the reader far away from reality through a portal to explore magical characters and the amazing lands where they live.