My garden is a sanctuary—a place of peace and tranquility—and one of my great joys in life. It has always been like my child and I often photograph it. At the same time, it’s an intensely draining labor of love that tests me as I work the soil, remove stones, make paths, and battle the winged and crawling life forms that threaten to undo my hard work. Most of all, my garden is a place of transformation where dirt and seed become something sublime, something that gives back much more than it receives. That is how I thought when I wrote and illustrated Maddalena, priming the canvas with lonely words and images and transforming dark glimpses of the past onto a brilliant tapestry of powerful historic events. My beautiful garden has been seen only by a small circle of family, friends, and visitors, but with Maddalena I want to share a feeling of something equally sublime with everyone.