Saturday, May 16, 2009

Mapping

Not everything comes with a map.

Photos via Visualize



And maps can be very useful.



Typographical Error Seafloor Silk Map Tie by Toy Breaker screenprinted with distressed remnants of 1900's sea-depth estimates taken in Scandinavian and Arctic waters.



You can wear them.



Paris Metro Map Cuff by Betty Death. This cuff showcases many stops and lines in and around central Paris, including St. Michel, Notre Dame, the Louvre and many other memorable locations. Take a tiny tour of Paris, from the comfort of your own wrist! The cuff is handmade from a colour print printed with water-resistant ink. A slice of vinyl is affixed to the print to provide high gloss goodness and additional protection against the elements. This cuff is backed with friendly black felt to ensure a comfortable and stylish wearing experience, and closes with one silver snap.


Or decorate with them.
Globes Magazine Rack and Chair via Curious Sofa Boutique. Table from J Industrial Designs. Map Wallpaper via Garden Web.

Poems can be written about them.


Photobucket


'Cartography' Original Watercolor by Aine Scannell and Poem by UK poet Ted Slade, 1939 to 2004, founder of The Poetry Kit a worldwide website for poets.

You can draw on them.


River Flowers Original Map Drawing by Pyglet Whispers. Original hand-drawn line design over a coloured, vintage 1970's Australian road atlas page. Design features Brisbane river and surrounds utilising drawing cues from the vintage map. Drawing is completed using black archival ink pens directly over the book page.


And even journal on them.


Altered Atlas Journalling Workshop from Juliana Coles. Juliana states " It’s time to expand our horizons and stretch our limits. It’s time to map our existence and point the way out of the confines of our known comfort zones. Beginning with a large format Atlas- the bigger the better-as a matter of fact, if you can barely lift it, you’re onto something- we’re going to press the parameters of our creativity by going boldly where we have yet to venture- no more 5x7 books with nice little pages. Not for us. No 7x9 finely decorated little altered book. This book gets big, gets bold gets pushy gets out there gets loud and in your face with larger than life images and words so big they have to shout across the pages. Using a large Atlas, no smaller than 11x 14, as the container for our visual journaling experience, we will learn to find our powerful, and aggressive artistic voice that is waiting at uncharted depths to be discovered. By combining journal writing exercises with art making assignments in a mixed media frenzy, I will introduce you to the joys of working large- you may never work small again! It’s big, it’s bad, and it’s beautiful! This book will relate to distance, mapping, and asserting, I AM HERE. Humble, small, less than, not enough, has no place here. Let me introduce you to a different side of yourself. As your guide, I’ll help you chart the distance."

As well as making other mixed media fabulousness with them.


Hanging On By A Thread Assemblage by Attic Antics. Watched over by a lovely porcelain angel with metal wings, the woman's portrait dangles among vintage chandelier crystals, a ceramic feather, and the tiniest little key. An old cheese grate backed by map imagery serves as a backdrop while the watch face creates a halo behind the angel's face when viewed head-on.


Oh Danny Boyd Collage on Canvasby Super Minx. This is an original 5”x5”x1.5” canvas mixed media collage which utilises maps, magazines, advertising catalogues, scrapbook papers, ink and acrylic paint. The entire canvas is papered, including the sides, and for extra durability a gloss varnish applied.

Finding Your Place in the City, an original mixed media
painting incorporating a map background by Kelcey Loomer.This is number 20 in Loomer's Rest Series. The series is a reminder to take a moment for yourself~ to quiet your busy body and mind and be still. To create a space of rest... so that you may hear your own voice and dreams. The chairs are a symbol of this awareness. Size: 12" x 12" x 1.75". This painting is created using many thin layers of paint on top of many collaged elements and handmade papers. The words in the painting say "one way to fly in your dreams". Layered into the painting there is also words from a description of New York City from a vintage history book. In the background you can see a map of NYC.


And sometimes those things make our brain map much clearer.


Photo by Austin O

22 comments:

Michelle said...

It always amazes me, so much talent out there, so many different ideas and then there is you, finding them and bringing them here for me to see :)

Thank you

xxx

Unknown said...

i once had to decipher the Moscow Metro map ... I do believe they should hand out honourary doctorates after working that thing out

Jacquie said...

I love maps too - isn't it amazing what wonderful things can be created with them.

Sweet Mess said...

What a great collection of map-ish things... Thanks for including my painting! ~Kelcey

Chrisy said...

....and of course I forgot to mention that you can actually use maps to find places!...an oversight I'm sure due to the fact that I have NO sense of direction....even after consulting a map I'll invariably turn left when I should turn right...I do often get it right by reversing my initial decision!

benconservato said...

I love your collection of mappy type items. Very beautiful and dark too, right up my alley.

Renee said...

Chrisy these are beautiful.

I laughed at your comment. No there is no affair.

Wednesday's Women are always made up. Once I wrote one about an abusive home and people totally felt sorry for me, and I was like 'that's not me.' har har

Love Renee xoxox

ArtSparker said...

...but remember, "The map is not the territory", this is sometimes a hard distinction for people who think too much. Made famous by Gregory Bateson, but he was quoting Alfred Korzybski.I particularly like the fractal daisy piece, it ties in with urbandon's post today.

UniqueNurseGranny said...

What a marvelous post.Glad I came.You were so right.

Mimi said...

Amazing photos, the 2nd pic is so right on the mark.

xo

LillyShayStyle said...

What a great post, I love all the mappy photos. People are so creative with maps.

studioJudith said...

I'm always inspired to see what other artists are doing with maps ... .
and I just keep looking at my stack - wondering when I'll dive in and create something mappy.
Perhaps soon.
Jjjjj

Anonymous said...

What a cool collection!

Hey Harriet said...

A fascinating post Chrisy! I really love the words in the second pic. I guess because I can relate to them...

Did your text get smaller or is my eyesight getting worse? It's ok. Once I put my glasses on all was fine :)

Cathy {tinniegirl} said...

You've founds some beautiful things there. Thanks for sharing.

Chrisy said...

um yes sorry about the size of the font...all over the place...thought I was being smart using different sized fonts but blogspot couldn't handle it and in the end neither could I so had to give up before my brain exploded!

Anonymous said...

arghhh!

I cant turn that tape off!

Hheeeelllpp!

hate those things...now..phew... I can enjoy the post....

Patti Edmon Artist said...

What a fabulous, incredible post! Love all the images and the poem is amazing...

Tumble Fish Studio said...

Another top shelf brilliant and fascinating post! I am enthralled! I need a map right now to tell me how to navigate a bit of a rough spot - this was so profound for me! Oh, thank you for always bringing us such intelligent beauty!

Ro Bruhn said...

Now I'll have to start collecting maps. Thanks for the inspirational insight.

Sam said...

Great stuff! I particuarly love "Goodenough close"! Fantastic!

Kate Moore said...

I adore that altered altas. Fabulous. I do look at Atlases in op shops and wonder what could be done with them. They're fascinating.
I feel the same way about embarking on an altered book as you do about unpicking. Be assured hon, my unpicking is actually "nick here and rip".