"Without A Map"

I recently read a book by the award winning author Meredith Hall titled "Without A Map". I was captivated immediately and was unable to put the book down. I must first admit to literally picking this book by the cover. I read the title which attracted me "Without A Map"....I'm sure we've all felt like this at times. As an artist, probably even more so. So I decided to pull it off the library shelf and as I put the book in my hands, the cover revealed a gray moody scene of a road leading into a mysterious and foggy place, reminding me much of my work. I was drawn in and knew I must read this book.

"Without A Map" will piss you off, make you laugh and make you cry. It gets right to the heart of what it is to be a woman, our weaknesses and above all, our strengths.

At the back of the book and after the story has ended, Hall talks about a place very dear to her. As she describes the stark and haunting landscape and it's people, I got goose bumps as I realized she can only be talking about one place, a place I know too. Newfoundland.

I felt compelled to write to her. She said she didn't often have the time to respond to her e-mails, but my Newfoundland in the subject made her pay attention. She decided to peruse my website. This is what she wrote back to me:

“Wow. Wow. I spend a lot of time roaming around galleries and museums and sometimes—rarely—I have a powerful emotional response. I am stunned by your work. I love how subdued the light is, how fully you feel the harsh, wild, demanding beauty of Newfoundland. Maybe someday I will find a way to have one of your paintings on my wall. It would be an honor.
”Meredith Hall, Author, Without a Map

I am the one honored...this woman has lead a fascinating life.

Meredith's website:
http://meredithhall.org/