Work by Wilma Graham :: Poem by Gerda Stevenson
Unn the Deep – Minded
Born Norway c.850, died Iceland, c. 900; Viking leader, also known as Aud and Audur; lived in the North of Scotland, where her son, Thorstein the Red, ruled for many years.
From Quines by Gerda Stevenson
Artist’s statement
Unn was a woman who had led her family and kinspeople through invasion and hardship into settlement, a hard-won success. In her wisdom, she recognized change was coming and that it was time for the next generation to take the reins; her job was done.
This is an excellent life lesson for today: know when it is time to quit. Life is not finished, just moving on to the next stage. How splendid it is to sail off into the sunset knowing the job was well done.
Each time I read over the verses, I see it more and more as a poem of courage and deep understanding of life.
I chose to work with muted colours in each panel to give a feeling of evening, fading light and secrecy. Four verses: four panels, each one connect to the others by the line of the horizon.