Guest Blogger on PERSONAL GEOGRAPHIES

I am thrilled to be the guest blogger today on Jill K. Berry's Blog - Personal Geographies.

Jill has many fabulous pieces of art in my book Interactive Art Journal and I am a contributing artist to her book.
You can buy an autographed copy of Jill's book from her blog or it is available from Amazon here.

Check this out!

FREE Webinar: My Journey with Maps Hosted by Jill K. Berry

On Thursday, January 19th, 2012. Hurry and register...

http://www.createmixedmedia.com/uncategorized/free-webinar-my-journey-with-maps-hosted-by-jill-berry

More Maps of Possibilities - Personal Geographies: Explorations in Mixed Media Mapmaking

Behind the pages look -
This is the bottom view of the Map of Self Discovery, a map that is included in Jill K. Berry's book Personal Geographies: Explorations in Mixed Media Mapmaking. I thought you might like to see this view of the nesting cone maps, as they were not included. They are compass roses etched in three different medals.

I often do a lot of research to develop my ideas for a piece of art. I like to record this process in my art journal. Click on pictures for larger view.

All of the writing on the left side of the page and above the transparency on the right side are taken from various web sites on the internet. From the transparency on down I am starting to develop my own ideas. The transparency is the actual pattern that I created for the etched brass cartouche of the map.

Further working out my idea for the symbolism that this map incorporates.

Sometime in the future I will feature this map on this blog as I think it is one of the most symbolic and important pieces of art that I have created so far.

For now it is available to see in Jill's book Personal Geographies: Explorations in Mixed Media Mapmaking along with my condensed thought out explanation of the map.

Project 4 - Personal Geographies: Explorations in Mixed Media Mapmaking

Another project that I have done from Jill K. Berry's book - Personal Geographies: Explorations in Mixed Media Mapmaking. The project from her book that I was inspired by is called Hand Map.

Welcome to RAEvN Land! Home to special places in my life and a lot of puns! Towns are named after places where family, friends and I have lived. Come sailing with me on Artistic Ocean, Analytical Ocean or Productive Ocean. Although a boat ride in the Gulf of Passion is saved exclusively for my husband Mark. For you land lubbers there are Mountains of Information, Idea Desert or Painters Peak. Beware, keep away from Carpel Tunnel. I hope you have a creative journey!

I am fortunate to also be a contributing artist for Jill's book. (I won't be posting my art that is included in her book on my blog).

Project 9 for - Personal Geographies: Explorations in Mixed Media Mapmaking

This is one of the projects that I have done from Jill K. Berry's book - Personal Geographies: Explorations in Mixed Media Mapmaking. I am fortunate to also be a contributing artist for Jill's book. (I won't be posting my art that is included in her book on my blog). The project from her book is called Pop-up Memory Map.

I am interested in totem animals. On May 20 on our way home from the cabin Mark and I seen these animals cross the road in front of us in the order indicated on the map. I looked up the meaning on the internet for each of these animals and included that on my map.

After some time away from the map and looking at it with fresh eyes I realize that these animals represent the stages in my married life:
Rabbit - Ability to procreate, fleetness and movement by leaps. This certainly describes the first years of my marriage. I had three children within four years of my marriage. We went from renting an old farmhouse to an apartment to our starter home ...
Deer - a new innocence and freshness is about to be awakened - Getting to know my husband and children and what I am capable of doing.
Squirrel - Balance within the circle of gathering and giving out - This certainly describes what being mother and raising her children is all about.
Snapping Turtle - Honor the creative source within, longevity, ability to grasp opportunities. Now that my children are all grown up and out of the house this is what I need to work on. And Mark, sorry for snapping! (It's just a phase I'm going through).

What if I had seen the snapping turtle first in my married life?

The process of creating art is like that for me, it heightens my personal awareness. Jill's book is a wonderful way to jump start your creative journey!