Across the Great Divide
Happy New Year and what do you think of when you read “Across the Great Divide?” Yes, I am borrowing the phrase from Nanci Griffith’s beautiful song of the same name. But there’s more to it than that. Before I share more, I want to welcome new readers and share the purpose of this post and blog. Alrighty?
Spaces and Places in Between
Welcome new readers! Each year, I select a theme for my weekly paintings. This year’s is “Spaces and Places in Between.” This year I plan to expand on last year’s theme. 2021’s theme was “Small Spaces Special Places“. Since we were all spending a lot of time in or close to home last year, it made sense to me to keep paintings small and simple.
This year I am ready to expand, maybe even explode the size of my paintings! Why? I want more room to paint! And, when there’s more room, specifically bigger panels, there’s more room to think about space, too.
But I will continue to do drawings and smaller value and gouache studies everyday. Why? I really enjoy doing them. And, I find they contribute to my paint handling skills.
As for actual topics in paintings? Stay tuned! I have so many ideas in my head I have to write them down so they don’t disappear. I promise some will be landscapes, others still life and others hmmm…so many ideas!!!!
Anyway, if you are not subscribing to this blog yet and think you might enjoy a weekly dose of unique artwork with a dash of color and musings on life, sign up here. Let’s get to this week’s topic!
Why Across the Great Divide
There’s a stanza in Griffith’s song that inspired this year’s theme. Here it is:
The finest hour that I have seen
Is the one that comes between
The edge of night and the break of day
It’s when the darkness rolls away
I love this! And, given all that is happening in the world, I would certainly love to see some of our darkness roll away. But, if and when we do face uncertainty it would be wonderful to have a way (path) to cross that great divide. Here’s where my painting this week comes in.
Facing the Unknown
This week’s painting is inspired by a kayaking adventure that David and I did around Plum Island in Massachusetts last fall. It was a blustery but beautiful fall morning. We wanted to have a quick kayaking adventure before heading to western Massachusetts.
Just as we were ready to head out on the sound side of Plum Island, three men in a pickup truck pulled up and put in their motorboat. We (okay I) were slower getting our paddles and life jackets on. One of the three guys came up to us and asked us if we had kayaked in this kind of wind before. Reh roh.
I said “No I am a complete noob at kayaying. Any advice?” He said, “Yes. Don’t turn right. There have been people who have died going towards the mouth of the Merrimack with these conditions.” Cue up nauseous and churning stomach. Old guy says, “Want my advice on where to go?” My reply? “Yes!”
He said to head straight across the opening of the water and go into the tributary. There’s plenty of birds to see back there but the wind and the current will be quieter. OK! “Thank you so much!” I replied.
My Beautiful Kayak
As I paddled in my beautiful kayak that David built for me, I felt as if I was crossing my very own ‘great divide.’ The old guy was right. As soon as we crossed into the tributary, the wind died down and we saw so many different birds.
Shazam I felt lucky to have talked with the old guy. I didn’t even catch his name. But we paddled for about 45 minutes before returning safely, heading west and continuing on our fall road trip.
This week’s painting is my tribute to that day. I confess that by nature I am one big huge chicken weenie. But thanks to living with a more adventurous spouse, I have these seemingly scary moments turn into fantastic memories.
A Different Kind of Divide
As I worked on this painting, I thought of a different kind of divide. It’s that nagging, angry, contentious divide that exists in today’s world. Don’t you find it exhausting? I wish we could each have a way to figure out how to better connect with each other. I want my kayak to be the bridge across the great divide in this painting!
Recently, I joked with friends that I have a running hypothesis that there would be less constipation and war if everyone had food, clothing, shelter and some kind of creative outlet. But, the more I think about it, the more I think this might be true.
Or as landscape painter, Robert Genn, wrote in his January 4, 2002 blog (reposted by his daughter this week), “I’ve found that the greatest joys come from the confluence of brain, heart and hand. I’ve found that the way to self-realization and the serving of society is to just get your nose into a subject. It’s all in the details. I’ve found that work itself is currency and while the world is full of wonder and love and surprise, the greatest world of all is the world of human imagination.”
I love this thinking!
For Sale
Yes! Across the Great Divide is for sale for $768 + taxes + shipping (unframed). Please contact me to make it all happen.
Your Bridge Across the Great Divide
What about you, gentle reader? What is your bridge across the great divide? I am sure you have some thoughts and ideas on this. Please do share in the comments below.
16 Comments
Denise B Todloski
January 6, 2022Lovely, all of it.
Maybe you’ll be a motivational speaker one day too.
Julie Holmes
January 6, 2022Ha! Holy smokes, Denise. Thanks but no thank you.
Great to hear from you here. Take care and stay safe and xoxo
Beth Dyer Clary
January 6, 2022Great post, Julie! Bit of inspiration in it in many forms: music, words, visual splendor. Thanks for sharing so openly about, well, everything on your mind, in your heart and hands.
Just wondering about your beautiful painting: How big is it? And is it on that cool material that doesn’t really need a frame or is it a canvas and that’s it?
Glad you wrote this. A boost!
Beth
Julie Holmes
January 6, 2022Hiya Beth,
Thank youuu!
I realize I forgot to mention the painting dimensions here. So thank you for asking. It’s 8×24 inches. Huge compared to last year’s paintings, eh?
I used an ACM panel. This is what road and highway signs are made of so it’s super rigid. I prepped it/sanded it with gesso (4x) before painting on it. So, yes, it’s a rigid support but it probably would look best in a frame.
Glad you got a boost from this post. Seems we all need that right now! Gah!
Take care and lots o’ love and hugs to youuu
Jack Whitney
January 8, 2022I love the story about the Kayaking at Plum Island and finding the safe refuge to enjoy the natural setting and its inhabitants.
I also love Nanci Griffith’s recording of ‘Across the Great Divide’, a song created by the im-mensely talented Kate Wolf. So sad that we lost Nanci’s great voice and unerring ability to find a great song to cover and make it her own !!!
Finding yourself lost in the process of creating an image or replaying a song with guitar voice and fingers or sailing in front of freshening breeze, there are many wondrous moments still ahead.
Take care …
Jack
Julie Holmes
January 12, 2022Hi Jack,
Thanks for enjoying the kayaking adventure story!
Whoopsie – I thought Nanci Griffith wrote ‘Across the Great Divide’ so thanks for setting me straight about that.
Yes – here’s to getting lost in the process in 2022. You’re right, they’re wondrous moments. And, it sure doesn’t get much better than that…especially these days!
Thanks so much for commenting and take care tooooo!
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