"Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, there lived a little girl who was thrilled when she heard these words – She grew up to be a young woman who adores them still.These words prepare the reader for an adventure of fancy, for worlds where the ordinary clashes with the extraordinary. Growing up, fairy tales were the bedtime story of choice and even now are still the preferred books to curl up and read within a safe nook. They bring back a nostalgic feeling, a remembrance of a time less complicated – when you need to believe that it was real. In this series of paintings based off the old Czechoslovakian tale, 'The Wood Maid', color is the key element. They are bright and inviting, friendly to draw in the viewer's eye and prove a sense of warmth and safety. In this story there are no lurking monsters or hidden danger, only a young girl who is taught a very important lesson by one of the spirits of the forest. While it is very good to work your hardest, to always do as you are told by your parents, sometimes ...just sometimes you must put these things aside and have a little fun." -Elizabeth Seelye