I am a big fan of Jill K. Berry and her book Personal
Geographies, which discusses using maps as a part of our journaling
adventure. I was really excited when she
put out the call to participate in her map making challenge called “Mapping
2014 Artfully!”. The challenge is to draw a map or create map art that represents our hopes, fears, plans, etc. for the upcoming year,
2014. The challenge results are being posted today
and will continue to be available to view until January 17th. There is a list of the participants on her
blog, a blog hop that will take you from one map lovers blog to the next, giving
everyone a chance to see the artists interpretation of the challenge.
For me personally 2013 seemed to start off with a bang and
slowed down to a crawl by December. I love
to travel so when things get difficult or just plain predictable my mind takes
me somewhere else. Since I was a child I’ve
always been a daydreamer and still am, thank goodness. You just learn to hide it better as you get older!
My personal artful map is an outline of my hand on a street
map of Paris. That’s my go-to place in
my dreams when I’m feeling down. I’ve
been there at least a dozen times and it seems as if I know parts of the city
like the back of my hand. Every time I
visit there my breakfast is always the same:
a large café au lait with a beautiful croissant. It is my personal ritual to assure myself
that I’m really there! It never gets
old. I’m due for a trip to Paris, I have
no definite plans right now but that’s my hope and dream for 2014(and beyond). The title of my map is "The Back of My Hand".
The background is watercolor paper lightly coated with gesso and then sprayed with Dylusions spray inks. After it was dry I stamped it and painted black gesso in the center. The hand is mine, traced onto an old map of my favorite places in the city then cut out. I folded back part of it and sewed the cuff, then attached a button with a tiny bow. Using a strong adhesive, I glued my map onto the watercolor paper.
If you have an interest in any type of map art I would
recommend that you check out this challenge, here is the link Mapping 2014
Artfully!
This is truly wonderful! I love everything about what you did.
ReplyDeleteThis is really cool! Very clever idea too. LOVE the cuff you added. Such a great idea! And I really LOVE the background you created. May all your dreams come true!
ReplyDeleteI like the whole concept of putting your hand down for something you love.
ReplyDeleteLovely! I have never been to Paris. I think if I go, I will have the same breakfast.
ReplyDeleteHands down, this is terrific. It seems like you are reaching out to "pat" the city or reaching out to it to touch it. Waving, from one hand mapper to another! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is such a lovely image. Loved both the design and the colors.
ReplyDeleteThis is fascinating and so love your use of a map.
ReplyDeleteHow funny as this afternoon I was considering Wanderlust, I maybe had a touch of it today and Paris is where I go to in my mind although I haven't visited as often as yourself, let me say, Renee I am most impressed!
Thank you for sharing your dreams and your art.
Wishes
Lynne
This is a wonderful challenge and AJ page Renee! And I'm So happy to read you were a daydreamer like I've always been!! And even more happy to ready that you Love Paris...! :) Coco xx
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a work of (he)art, Renee. I love that you are a daydreamer, as am I! Such beautiful and meaningful map art, too. Impressed that you thought to trace your own hand here. How very personal. Art at its best, my friend! Mwah!
ReplyDeleteAmazing map! Love the colors and layers and variety of media!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
What a beautiful daydream! I like the illustrated expression 'like the back of my hand".
ReplyDeleteI went to Paris for the first time this past summer. It was a great trip. It was also fun to speak French with Parisiens and to be aware of my own accent.
I love how you used the hand!
ReplyDelete