Category Archives: Travel

Maine-ly Art

Art and travel go hand in hand, which is one of the reasons I’m always happy when I can get back to Maine.

School Street mural, Rockland, Maine

Akin to the sight of white pines backed by azure skies and the smell of salt in the air, many of Andrew Wyeth’s images speak to me as an indelible representation of the state where I grew up. PBS recently added an episode on Wyeth to their American Masters series; it’s quite good and addresses the often uneasy sense of mystery that hovers in the stark beauty and loneliness found in many of his paintings. I can’t speak to any connection those from Pennsylvania may feel toward his Chadds Ford work, but for me, Wyeth got Maine exactly right.

Olson House, Cushing, Maine

Although I visited the outside of the Olson house (the forbidding clapboard farmhouse that anchors Wyeth’s iconic Christina’s World) as a child, one can now see the inside as well thanks to the Farnsworth Art Museum assuming ownership in the early 1990’s.

Hathorn / Olson Graveyard looking out to Maple Juice Cove, Cushing, Maine

The ‘tour’ that comes with admission is really a half-hour history of the house and its generations of inhabitants — a single family line — told to wonderful effect by a local docent. With dramatic pauses and a spooky affect that gave the impression of a cross between a no-nonsense schoolmarm and a wicked witch, she relayed how the original settlers were descendents of John Hathorne, the notorious chief justice of the Salem witch trials. They came to Maine in the 1700’s seeking to escape the tainted shadow Hathorne left upon the family name. Our docent capitalized on that air of eeriness with tales that encompassed deprivation, childhood death, and of course Christina’s disability.

Front Room, Olson House

Afterward we were free to roam the house which has remained as it was when Christina and her brother Alvaro lived there, and as it appears in many of Wyeth’s paintings. It’s an other-worldly experience walking into rooms that are hauntingly familiar, immersed in the same sense of place and light depicted by Wyeth, looking through the frames of windows he depicted to the views he recorded with a combination of faithfulness and artistic license.

Roofline, Olson House, no doubt the vantage from which End of Olson’s was painted in 1969.

Much has been said about Wyeth’s place in the lexicon of American painting, and I’m not going to debate that here. For me, his superior draughtsmanship, emotionally charged brevity, and compositional fluency negate any question of merit. But beyond those attributes, his paintings speak to a sense of Maine that anyone with a strong connection to the state would recognize, a quality that makes his work so intimately relatable.

If you’d like to dig a little deeper on the subject, let me recommend Christina Baker Kline’s novel A Piece of the World, a wonderful first-person portrayal of Christina Olson’s life inspired by her circumstances and her relationship with Andrew and Betsy Wyeth.

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©Abe Goodale, Watercolor

On a more contemporary note, I was thrilled to walk into the Archipelago Store and Gallery of the Island Institute in Rockland and to discover an exhibit of wonderful paintings of lobstermen by Abe Goodale. On his website Goodale notes this series, the Eastern Waters project, is a tribute to the hardworking lobstermen of Penobscot Bay and that he “set out to capture a way of life, a generation upon the water and an industry that is thriving, yet fragile”. I think it’s remarkable how sensitively he portrays the toughness surrounding these men and their work.
I regret the quality of my photos is so poor.

Pause ©Abe Goodale

Sea Smoke ©Abe Goodale, Watercolor

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And finally, because I believe censorship is wrong, I am sharing a link to textile artist Salley Mavor’s recent story of being forced, ten days before the opening, to withdraw from her solo exhibition Liberty and Justice: New Artwork by Salley Mavor. The show had been in coordinated planning for a year.

In relating the circumstances, Mavor is careful not to cast aspersions on the organization/venue, its staff or volunteers. I truly hope you will take the time to read what she has to say. It is not a political rant, it is a measured response to where we find ourselves in society today. She says, “For me, the work is about stepping away from a safe, sheltered existence and into a very real reality, one where there is possibility for action toward making a difference in the world.”
I want to honor her request that links to her work be shared in order for it to be seen. Maybe you will too. It is so important that we work together to subvert censorship and support artistic freedom.

Regardless of your political stance , please take the time to explore Mavor’s website. Her work is beautiful, and if you share a love of nature, I’m sure you will find it both magical and delightful. Her creativity and skill with a needle are remarkable.

Many thanks to Eve Jacobs-Carnahan for bring this to my attention.

L’Arte di Firenze

This is a post of images, so get yourself a drink of choice and settle in.

When we last visited Italy a dozen years ago, our days revolved around its magnificent sights, its food, wine, and the camaraderie of our traveling companions. This time around included all of the same, yet with the distinct benefit of also being able to devote a large chunk of time on our own, immersed in the artistic treasure trove that is Florence.

Despite factors being such that we visited during peak tourist season, crowds never really seemed to be an issue — the only time we had to wait in line was to get into the Uffizi, and even then for only about 20 minutes. I mostly credit that ease to having the Firenze card which allows easy and swift access to most museums and sites. Keep it in mind if you’re planning a trip in the future.

Now for a bit of armchair travel…here is a taste of the art of Florence and Ravenna as I saw it, divided into digestible sections. As you can see, those divisions are somewhat arbitrary as they all seem to overlap in one way or another. Such is the beauty of art.

Pattern

Basilica di San Lorenzo This cathedral’s relatively stark (certainly in comparison with the Duomo) facade is heightened by its stonework relief in tandem with the sun.

Baptistry of San Giovanni Marble flooring

Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra (Domus of the Stone Carpets) This important archeological project in Ravenna unearthed a complex of buildings dating back to the Roman Republic through Byzantine times, including a small palace where every floor was covered with marble mosaics. After being restored, the ‘carpets’ of stone were placed back to their original collocation in an underground room that can be entered from the Church of Sant’Eufemia.

Palazzo Vecchio ceiling

Color

Mauseleum Galla Placidia, Ravenna Low light made photographing these stunning glass mosaics incredibly challenging. I think my husband did an admirable job here. All “windows” were filled with alabaster, an example of which you can see on the left side of this picture, with the figure almost pointing to it à la Carol Merrill. A close-up below.

Alabaster window panel within Mauseleum Galla Placidia

On the more contemporary side, the colors inside this closed shop drew me like a magnet.

Street Art

I read about Clet Abraham before we left, so had my eyes peeled for his street art from the get-go. We weren’t disappointed. You can follow him on instagram @cletabraham

Another Abraham piece – photo courtesy of my husband

Even Michelangelo made street art … or at least that’s the legend about this carved portrait on the front wall of the Palazzo Vecchio. I read several stories about it: Popular urban legend has it that it was Michelangelo Buonarroti who created the portrait after taking on a bet that he would be able to do it with his back turned towards the wall, without looking at what he was doing. Another story tells how Michelangelo passed the Palazzo Vecchio one day and under the Loggia dei Lanzi he spotted a man in the pillory who owed him money. He asked the guard who was watching the unfortunate for how much longer the punishment would last and the guard answered: “Not long enough”. To make sure that the Florentine people would remember the criminal for a long time, he chiseled the man’s face on the wall of Palazzo Vecchio.

Once we began noticing them, these images of classical figures with swim masks cropped up all over, and not just in Florence. I was able to find this interview with the anonymous artist.

Humanity

Portrait of an Old Man, last quarter of the 15th century, Fresco on tile. Attribution swings between Filippino Lippi and Domenico Ghirlandaio. Despite his attire, this man looks so contemporary to me, the warmth of his skin tones and kindly eyes speak across the centuries.

Alexander Calder We came across two exhibits in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi that were a total surprise, and happily so. This wire sculpture of Alexander Calder’s, not unlike the facade of San Lorenzo, was dependent on shadow for full effect.

Self-Portrait of Sofonisba Anguissola, 1552-3. In light of Reclamation, the ongoing exhibit at the Helen Day Art Center, which I wrote about here, it was so lovely to see a female painter among the sea of male artists at the Uffizi. Anguissola’s father supported her passion for painting, as well as that of her four sisters who were also painters.

Pang Maokun, “Salotto di Diego Velasquez”, 2017 The other surprise exhibition at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi was a series of paintings by Chinese artist Pang Maokun. His sense of humor, weaving traditional references with a contemporary twist, is delightful.

Pang Maokun, “Dama con l’ermellino”, 2017. If this piece looks vaguely familiar, your memory isn’t fooling you. Here’s a link to da Vinci’s original.

Drawing

Pang Maokun. It was so interesting to see this series of drawings, copies of master works combined with contemporary portraits, set in pairs, and hung so that if you stood to the right only the contemporary portraits were visible, while standing to the left revealed only the copies.

Pang Maokun. Another wonderful drawing of facility and humor.

Alexander Calder This sketch outlines Calder’s idea for a poster announcing his sculptural gift “Teodelapio” to the city of Spoleto.

It’s humbling to include these, but a section on drawing wouldn’t be complete without the addition of several of my sketches, made along the way.

Plaza Santo Spirito ©2018 Elizabeth Fram, 10 x 8 inches, Pen and colored pencil. Lunchtime at an osteria before heading to Capella Brancacci to see the famed frescoes by Masolino da Panacale, Masaccio, and Filippino Lippi

Kidnapping of the Sabine Women by Giambologna, Loggia dei Lanzi ©2018 Elizabeth Fram, 8 x 5 inches, Pen and colored pencil. There aren’t words to express the experience of sketching one of the world’s most famous sculptures from an outdoor cafe, in one of the world’s most iconic places (Piazza della Signoria), while sipping a Campari soda.

Textiles

The Palazzo Medici Riccardi had rooms filled with tapestries. They were huge and so finely woven that it is hard to imagine their production. Most of their colors have faded away. I think of blue as being among the most fugitive of colors, but was very interested to see that it was one of the few that remained in many of these pieces. Do any of you have an explanation? This small corner of a much larger work displays a glimmer of its former brilliance.

As the following pictures show, the ecclesiastic textiles showcased at the Opera del Duomo Museum were sumptuous and beyond imagining. These are from the 18th century.

Thinking of the strong lighting and magnifying glasses I need for my own work, I couldn’t help but feel for the eyesight of the artists who made these extraordinary pieces.

Embroidered Iris

Gozzoli’s Procession of the Magi

I have saved the best for last. If there is one single work of art that stands out among all the many masterpieces and historical treasures we saw, it would be Benozzo Gozzoli’s Procession of the Magi in the tiny and spectacular Medici Chapel within the Palazzo Medici Riccardi. I can’t begin to do it justice with words, and am still awestruck by the fact that we had this little jewel box all to ourselves, left to marvel at its vibrant colors and striking details in peace and quiet.

Procession of the Magi, Benozzo Gozzoli, Medici Chapel 1459-61

This is one section that I could get close enough to for a detail shot. I have lightened this image hoping to make it clearer for you to see. I was amazed by the glazes and layers of color, and the ability to follow the ancient brushstrokes.

The glory of these paintings doesn’t begin to translate through my photos. The gold glimmers and the landscape seems to breathe with the life of its flora and fauna. Each person is an individual portrait with personality, cheeks glowing with life. There are no windows. Imagine the wonder of sitting in this room in flickering candlelight.

Please, take the time to read more and to see much better images (the frescos are so high up, there was no way to get a photo that isn’t distorted), through this information page on the Traveling in Tuscany website.

To sum it up, if there is one word to best describe the sights of our week, it would have to be “rich”. And I’ll just leave it at that.

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And I can’t let you go without mentioning that I just installed my exhibit “Being Home” at The Kendal Gallery of Kendal at Hanover, 80 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH. The show is open daily and will be up through the month of August. I hope you might consider stopping in should you be near there.

Polishing Memories

After a welcome vacation, I am back to my routine. When I sat down to write and consider images for this post, it suddenly occurred to me that I took very few photos and spent even less time drawing while away.

We were visiting two favorite places, San Francisco and Kailua, Oahu, easily the cream-of-the-crop of the numerous locales my husband and I have called home during our life together. For once, I didn’t feel any particular need to record what I was seeing, and for the most part I just let the sights and experiences be enough. It was surprisingly liberating.

An intricately decorated bowl from the De Young Museum’s exhibit “Teotihuacan”

On my way to the De Young Museum to see the exhibit “Teotihuacan”, cherry trees, fuchsia, and vinca bloomed in the bright and warm sunshine of Golden Gate Park — a welcome change after leaving Vermont in the midst of a chilly snowstorm the day before. And as the day came to an end, a ribbon of hot pink progressing to fiery orange hovered over the thinnest strip of deep blue horizon, lightly resting on the Pacific Ocean like a technicolor meringue. No photo or drawing can compare to being fully in those moments.

Perhaps counterintuitively, I had my back turned to Mokoli’i, a popular scenic spot on the windward side of Oahu, choosing to take this shot of the Ko’olaus instead. The deep furrows in this mountain range remind me of the pleats created in the process of Arashi Shibori.

A couple of days later, we sped along the H3 Highway from the Honolulu airport to Kailua. The lush green of the Ko’olau Mountains, deeply engraved by threads of waterfalls that have trickled down their sides for centuries, paired with the scent of humidity and tropical flora, brought in a sweep of memories formed at a time before iPhones and when I was way too busy with little ones to spend more than a few cursory moments here and there drawing.

The Byodo-In Temple on Oahu is one of the loveliest places I can think of. We visited frequently when we lived on the island, and make a point of going back each time we return. The following photos are all from the temple.

There’s nothing like a full sensory experience for facilitating re-entry into a bubble of remembrance. For whatever reason, the image of a snow globe popped into my head, and it occurred to me that what I was experiencing could be equated to looking into one of those little enclosed worlds while reawakening it with a good shake. Although, like memory, there’s no way to physically (re)enter the environment it confines, an emotional magic resurfaces from somewhere deep within to be felt and enjoyed once again.

Amida Buddha

Which brings me to this: five years ago author Jonathan Safran Foer gave the commencement address at my son’s college graduation. Unlike the speaker at my own commencement — of whose talk I remember exactly zero — Foer’s message has stayed with me. In a nutshell, he was observing that the world can be divided into two camps: archivists, who take full advantage of technology to document life’s both great and small events, and eye-witnesses, who record nothing physically but rather rely on memory alone.

Raked Gravel

Short-lived moments are precious, which dictates the desire to capture them in photos or on video. Yet human memory involves emotion in a more direct way than technology. The point of Foer’s speech was that being more fully present allows us to hold onto our experiences more closely. He wasn’t saying one approach was better than the other, only that striking a balance between the two is perhaps the wisest course.

Koi

I don’t think I could ever give up my camera. And as I have often expressed, the act of drawing allows me to more fully notice and record details that I might otherwise miss, in some ways strengthening a memory of time and place. But it isn’t the same as basking in a fleeting experience without any buffers or intervening devices. This time around I was happy to let go of the tools and to enjoy both the restfulness and the exhilaration of immersing myself in a change of environment without them.

On a Different Note_________________________________________________________________________________________

My mother-in-law has a great eye and a wonderful collection of art books that are always a treat to peruse whenever we visit her. She is often ahead of the curve in ferreting out interesting artists and reading material about them. She requested a subscription to Juxtapoz magazine a while ago, so this trip I had an opportunity to sift through several she has saved. I was very impressed — feeling it has a fresher and less “establishment” approach than ARTnews or other like publications. The interviews of highlighted artists are smart and well-written, going into the depths of practice without being oppressively long. I think you might find it worth checking out.

Road Trip

If you haven’t had an opportunity to travel through the Atlantic Provinces of Canada, add them to your destination list.

Last week we carved a fun & relaxing loop by driving up to Quebec City, skirting the top of Maine, then descending to bisect New Brunswick while making our way to Halifax, Nova Scotia. We hopped onto the ferry in Yarmouth for the last leg, bringing us back to the US via Portland, Maine.

It was a week of beautiful scenery, non-existent traffic, and delicious farm-to-table food and microbrews accented with abundant fresh seafood — all fused with local civic appreciation for the arts, walking trails and lovely gardens at every stop.

Opportunities to draw have become a treasured part of vacationing for me, my sketchbooks being the most enduring and powerful of souvenirs.

It was a happy discovery to notice that Canadians don’t seem to be surgically connected to their cellphones as is so ubiquitous here. I feel like we hardly ever saw anyone walking and talking or texting, and restaurants seemed to be virtually mobile-free.

While it made sketching people a bit more challenging, it was lovely not to have the same bend of the neck and hand placement on each and every subject, not to mention avoiding being a captive third party in a conversation you want no part of.

In addition to the omnipresent public art that Canadians apparently and appropriately feel is an important investment in their quality of life, we caught several wonderful exhibitions that I will share next week; I hope you’ll return to read about them.

On A Different Note______________________________________________________________________________

My piece “Dichotomy” will be showing on home turf through the end of November in the upcoming exhibit Fabric of Our Lives at the Grange Hall Cultural Center here in Waterbury Center. The opening is Sunday, October 1 from 3-5pm. I would love to see you there!

Fabric of our lives postcard

If you are local, keep your eyes and ears peeled for future offerings at The Grange. Our community is very lucky to have a creative venue that offers something for everyone: theater, music, exhibitions, workshops, yoga classes, etc.

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And finally, I just discovered the 10 Minute Writer’s Workshop podcast. The name says it all, each episode is a short and sweet glimpse into the process of a wide variety of well-known writers. The ideas are valuable for writers and readers alike. You can find it on iTunes.

A Mixed Bag of Reasons to Love Chicago

First of all, were you aware that the name “Chicago” is derived from a French interpretation of the Native American (Miami-Illinois language) word shikaakwa, a plant known to botanists as Allium ticoccum? More commonly referred to as ramps by Vermonters, Allium ticoccum is a species of wild onion with garlicky overtones that is a spring specialty here, soon to be foraged and served on home and restaurant tables all over our state.

Sunrise over Lake Michigan

The genesis of the city’s name as we know it today appears to be French explorer Robert de LaSalle’s September 1687 journal, in which he noted, “…we arrived at the said place called Chicagou which, according to what we were able to learn of it, has taken this name because of the quantity of garlic which grows in the forests in this region.” Now that’s my kind of place!

A decade ago our daughter moved to Chicago for school and never left, so at this point we’ve visited enough times that it has become comfortably familiar while still maintaining plenty of novel opportunities and sites to explore. Just back from a long spring weekend where the forsythia is already starting to bloom (but no ramp sightings), I’ve been thinking this week how great it is to have a place to visit just frequently/infrequently enough to maintain a list of favorites to see time and again, which still somehow always seem fresh.

Millennium Park is a special place and easy to get to as it’s right next to the Art Institute. Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate may be the main attraction for most but, to me, Frank Gehry’s Pritzker Pavillion is the jewel in the park’s crown.

Marc Chagall’s large stained glass America Windows at the Art Institute of Chicago always take my breath away and are well-worth the hike to the farthest corner of the museum to see. Secular in theme, they bring together symbols of American history, the Chicago skyline, and a representation of the arts. Please save ten minutes to watch this wonderful video from the Art Institute about the history, creation, conservation and reinstallation of this treasure.

Marc Chagall, America Windows 1975-77; Left panel representing Music and Painting

Marc Chagall, America Windows 1975-77; Middle panel representing Literature and Architecture

Marc Chagall, America Windows, 1975-77; Right panel representing Theater and Dance

Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 * (Whistler’s Mother) by James McNeill Whistler has returned to Chicago for the first time in 60 years. As I found was also true of the Mona Lisa, its subject appears warmer and lovelier in person. Contrary to the Mona Lisa, which was much smaller than I’d expected, it was a surprise that Whistler’s Mother is almost life-size. All that said, I was much more attracted to this relatively small painting of Whistler’s brother, appreciating it for its painterly brushstrokes and unconventional placement of the figure. The added bonus was I had it all to myself while everyone else crowded around Mrs. Whistler.

Portrait of Dr. William McNeill Whistler, 1871/73, Oil on panel, 43.7 x 34.8 cm (17 3/16 x 13 11/16 in.)

It’s hard to resist a visit to Dick Blick even if just to wander the aisles, but I usually keep any purchases to a minimum because of the hefty Chicago 10.25% sales tax. I’ve been on the lookout for a larger format, soft-cover sketchbook that would open flat for a double spread, yet be thin and light enough to easily tuck into a carry-on. I found two possibilities. The staplebound Fabriano EcoQua is really meant for writing, but the paper is pretty similar to a Moleskine and takes the ink from a Micron pen without bleeding.

The other selection I brought home is the 8.5″x11″ RendR Lay Flat sketchbook made by Crescent. It boasts ‘no show thru’ paper, which was a major attraction, and I also liked the idea that it is supposed to accept all media. Despite promising a lot, now that I’ve had a chance to try it I don’t think it was worth the cost. Perhaps acrylics work better than watercolors as a wet media, but I found the paper tends to buckle and it’s hard to move wet pigment around on the page. The paper is a nice weight, has a smooth surface for pen or pencil, and doesn’t bleed. But overall, I don’t think I would buy one again.

Rendr Sketchbook

There wasn’t much time to sketch over the weekend – too many other fun things to see and do. But once back on the plane to fly home, I could bring out my trusty OPUS sketchbook, purchased on another trip in another city, and get back in the saddle.

* Worth a read: 14 Things You Might Not Know About Whistler’s Mother

Baghdad by the Bay, Part 1

San Francisco is a jewel.

Moon rising over Coit Tower from Lombard St.

This city will always be special in my eyes, despite my preference for rural environments. I love the way it straddles the divide between urban and sylvan so easily, and relish its approachability as a web of neighborhoods of distinct personality, rather than a forbidding fortress of concrete and steel. A long time ago we lived on the Presidio for three wonderful years; I gave birth to our daughter with a view of the Golden Gate bridge from my hospital room and, ironically, our son’s current office is within one of the refurbished officer’s homes that abut the property of the now demolished hospital where his sister was born. So happily, the connection persists.

A mural of a mythical beast by Curiot (Favio Martinez) who blends human and animal forms while alluding to Mexican traditions. At Bush St. and Grant Ave.

“Cupid’s Span”, 2002, by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Brugge, near the Ferry Building

“Language of the Birds”, Brian Goggin & Dorka Keehn’s 2008 solar-powered light sculpture before the backdrop of Bill Weber’s 1987 “Jazz Mural”. Both are only a stone’s throw from SF’s iconic City Lights booksellers. Words and phrases embedded in the sidewalk below, give the impression they have fallen out of the books. The words are in English, Italian, and Chinese, reflecting the neighborhood’s rich literary history.

Our visit this month was just what I needed to shake out my end-of-winter malaise and to recharge the old batteries. ‘Baghdad by the Bay’, eminently walkable, with its golden light, fresh and varied foods, and rich array of cultural choices, proved to be just the balm needed at this time of year.

“Woodline”, 2011 by Andy Goldsworthy, in the Presidio

“Spire”, 2008 by Andy Goldsworthy, in the Presidio

Among its many attributes, San Francisco is a city swathed in art – both professionally polished and creatively homegrown – offering visual delights in just about every corner. This post is a nod to a few of the many discoveries that caught my eye.

Balmy Lane, Mission District We took a “Detour” walking tour – a phone app audio guide – through the mural-rich Mission. Balmy Lane is a one block alley lined with beautiful and vibrant murals.

Balmy Lane

The icing on the artistic cake was getting tickets to see the Matisse / Diebenkorn exhibit that had just opened at the SF MOMA. It is a wonderful show; two of my greatest heroes together, brilliantly curated to underline the strong influence that Mattisse had on Diebenkorn. There were no photos allowed, which in hindsight was an advantage since it meant there was nothing between viewer and art, requiring full engagement with the work. This is the best link I could find with some of the images. There is a full room of drawings that are spectacular! My only regret in regard to no photos is that I wasn’t able to have a record of the identifying cards next to the works – they were filled with info that I would like to reread.

We also visited “Paul Klee at Play” at SF MOMA. These hand puppets were made by Klee for his son, Felix

Another Klee puppet using papier-mâché, found materials, and scraps of cloth

“Battle of the Sexes”, 1982 by Tom Otterness. A frieze that surrounds a door opening, with female figures climbing on the left, males on the right. Both carry cylindrical drums and spheres representing abstract ideas. At the top they meet and a struggle erupts without a winner.

“Czara z Babelkami”, 2006 by Ursula von Rydingsvard, a towering cedar sculpture in the SF MOMA sculpture garden

I’m saving my thoughts on Wendy Maruyama’s WildLIFE Project & Janice Arnold’s FELT DECODED at the Museum of Craft and Design for next week. I’ll also have a few of the sketches I was able to squeeze in around the edges. I hope you will check back.

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And to follow-up on the ‘White Screen of Death’ that occurred right after we left town…it ended up being an easy fix once I got home and could devote a few minutes to figuring out the problem from my laptop. I can never say enough good things about my server, Bluehost. I found a tutorial on their site that allowed me to dig myself out of trouble in about 15 minutes. I have since learned that the WSoD is unfortunately not all that uncommon for WordPress users. May you never experience it. But just in case you do, below are a couple of links that lifted me beyond my initial panic so that I could relax and enjoy our vacation, knowing it was very likely a solvable problem.

Amy Lynn Andrews’ post “How to Deal with Errors and Warnings”…a must-read, applicable to any computer issue.
WP Sync one-time fix $39. I can’t give this a personal recommendation because I didn’t need to use it and there are likely many other groups that offer similar deals. But, it was definitely peace of mind to know that, if needed, I could get an expert on the case at a very reasonable price, and without having to commit to an on-going service.