Paul is an artist. Liz is an editor and writer. We’ve been doing our own thing—making our respective arts—for decades. But making a book together is a new thing for us.
The idea sprouted a few years ago, when we went to see singer-artist-poet Patti Smith talk about her Book of Days. Immersed that afternoon in the beautiful simplicity of her pre-nostalgic images and meditative prose, we were reminded that the ritual of artfully observing and recording the everyday is what gives life depth, complexity and shine.
Travel can do that too, nudging us to turn off the autopilot, be curious, pay attention. For us, the act of painting and writing our adventures gives us another way to see.
Away to See books are a creative exploration of that “away” state of mind. Our pages invite readers to go places they haven’t yet considered visiting, or to see the places they’ve already been in new light. To pause, dream, reflect.
The first book in the series highlights Martha’s Vineyard. Since 1997, we’ve had the great fortune to spend quiet summers on the island, discovering some of its truths: the astonishing landscapes, the deep well of tradition, and the notion that sometimes the smallest things bring the greatest joy.
In Away to See: Martha’s Vineyard, we explore this slower side and share some of our favorite island spots and experiences.
Additional books in the series, like Away to See: California Coast and Away to See: Islands of Italy are in the works.
Paul, who grew up on the coast of Maine, decided early on that he’d rather paint the sea than fish from it. After a long career as an art director and creative director, he now devotes all his time to painting. In the past twenty-five years, Paul has developed a national client base and has exhibited his work in galleries and art fairs from Boston to San Francisco—and many places in between.
Liz, a San Francisco Bay Area native, is a freelance editor and writer specializing in sustainability, wellness, travel and culture. She has a soft spot for people making the world better and more beautiful—from organic food companies to social justice nonprofits, artists and authors.