Monday, January 13, 2014

Mapping 2014 Artfully! Challenge with Jill K. Berry



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!


12 comments:

  1. This is truly wonderful! I love everything about what you did.

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  2. This 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!

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  3. I like the whole concept of putting your hand down for something you love.

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  4. Lovely! I have never been to Paris. I think if I go, I will have the same breakfast.

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  5. Hands 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! :)

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  6. That is such a lovely image. Loved both the design and the colors.

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  7. This is fascinating and so love your use of a map.
    How 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

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  8. 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

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  9. Definitely 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!

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  10. Amazing map! Love the colors and layers and variety of media!!
    Awesome!

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  11. What a beautiful daydream! I like the illustrated expression 'like the back of my hand".

    I 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.

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