In a misty, shadowy forest near Bocholt, Germany, the mood is set for a Brothers Grimm tale, and Sarah van der Biezen (@ancient_hearts) is making her art. Not only does Sarah find the woods meditative, but they are the perfect backdrop for her fairy tale-inspired images. “Fairy tales are huge here in Germany. It’s what your grandparents read to you. It’s what you fall asleep with,” she says. With those images planted before bedtime, Sarah says the primary inspiration for her work is that first moment of wakefulness, when you don’t know if you’re still dreaming. “The moments where you wonder, is this magic?” she says. Putting herself in the narrative with her self-portraits also allows her to engage in a deeper level of role-play, letting go of her work week, juggling being an artist and mom, and immersing herself in an ideal world. “I have a good picture of who I want to be in my head,” she says. “In my art I can practice being her.” Photo by @ancient_hearts by instagram http://ift.tt/1LEWYZy – Gatlinburg Garden Castle Rainbow Tower Library Imagination Station Temple Water Spirit Guardian Labyrinth Treasury Magic Healing