Away to See
Martha's Vineyard
In paintings and poems, Paul and Liz Norwood’s Away to See conveys the charm of a beloved vacation destination.
The California-based Norwoods have been “summer folks” at Martha’s Vineyard for over thirty years. As popular as the Massachusetts island resort has become, it is still possible to be alone in a chosen spot, they insist. The “distinct drop-in-anytime vibe” promotes total relaxation. Memories created each season bolster their spirits through the winter—“the cure for what ails” is to “steep in saltwater / soak in the sun.”
Images and verses combine to depict this timeless place of “picture postcard hamlets, white fences and blue hydrangeas.” Bygone fishing village motifs remain; old men sit on a bench outside a general store. Vistas alternate with action shots, as of boys jumping into the water from a bridge and a woman hanging pillowcases on a clothesline. Thick layers of oil paint in blues and coral overlap in abstracts of sea and sky, while a lighter, more realistic approach is applied to scenes featuring people. The text expounds the paradox that Martha’s Vineyard promises consistent amusement despite inevitable change: “our seeing is endlessly unfolding // … it never stops / surprising us.”
An alluring, poetry-infused art book, Away to See captures the laid-back atmosphere and sense of belonging found on Martha’s Vineyard: “when your toes / are planted firmly in the sand, / you can simply say you’re / on island.”
Reviewed by
Rebecca Foster
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
