It all started with the music of the group Yes and it ended up with Vacaville resident Wendy Vig publishing a book of poetry. Vig loves to write poetry, paint and listen to the music of Yes, her favorite group. She was born in Japan and grew up in California where her father was in the Air Force.
She also worked for the Solano County Office of Education in the special education department from 13 years.
"I worked with all ages of children, pre-school on up to high school. I was hired in 1980 and worked up until 1993 when I went out on disability and retirement," she said. "Working with special children was always something I wanted to do. I have a younger brother who is special. Working with all the outstanding teachers I did and all the special sweet children was one of the most rewarding things I have done in my life."
When retirement came, Vig, now 41, spent more and more time at her own creative projects, inspired by the music of Yes. "Roundabout" was their first big hit in 1972 followed by many other hits through the years including "Owner of a Lonely Heart" in 1983. She also had more time to spend on the Internet and there she met Jon Anderson, Yes lead vocalist. It was a meeting of the creative minds in cyberspace.
Vig was inspired to write some poetry, which she sent to Anderson. He liked it. Encouraged, she set about finding a publisher and he agreed to illustrate her work and write the introduction.
The result is "Fountains of Gold," which can be purchased locally at the Otter Nature Store in the Solano Mall or can be ordered from the publisher, Heaven Bone Press at P.O. Box 486, Chester, NY 10918 ($15.95 postage paid).
In keeping with both their interests, a portion of the book sale proceeds will be contributed to children's charities through the U.S. Committee for UNICEF and the Opio Foundation. Opio is a town in France where artist Marc Chagall lived. There, Anderson met Chagall there and found much of his artistic inspiration.
The book also will be sold at Yes concerts, which include four stops in Northern California this winter: Dec. 11 in Sacramento and Dec. 12-14 in San Francisco.
The slim book consists of 26 poems by Vig, with the colorful cover and border illustrations by Anderson. This is how Anderson describes her poetry: "They are magical in the way they speak volumes, yet not many words appear in front of your eyes.
"These are very sweet and simple poems," he adds.
When Vig finally met Anderson in person last March after a Yes concert in San Luis Obispo, it was a magical moment.
"It was like finally meeting a close and dear friend," she recalled. "I felt so much love and warmth when Jon hugged me for the first time. When he looks in my eyes and speaks I know he sees right into my heart and soul. Jon has an amazing spirituality about him and a wonderful sense of humor. He is someone I have admired for his music and his philosophy on life, our reason for being here."
Now Vig is working on many more projects.
"I get up every morning with a cup of coffee and do important work on my computer," she said.
"When I write or paint I listen to my favorite music. I love Anderson's new CD called 'Earth Mother Earth.' It's very beautiful and inspirational. And each day I spend time with my husband, Curt, and our sweet golden retriever, Duke, and our cat, Chooch."
Currently Vig is writing her next book of poems and is one of several people working on the production of a CD for "Fountains of Gold." Vig hopes Anderson will agree to sing on the project. She also is busy painting watercolors for a book of poems by a friend and has written a children's story called "The Eagle and the Angel" to be illustrated by artist Steven Wanzell who until recently had a gallery in Benicia where Vig's paintings were shown. "My paintings are now on view at on online gallery: http://www.beauxartsgallery.com/," she said.
"I always paint to music and I've painted since I was 12 years old," she said. "I express my inner dreams and my turmoil and joyfulness - the same with my writing."
"With all the wonderful things that are happening to me, it's hard not to be happy," she said.