All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.
- Earl Nightingale
Maps have always interested me. I remember pouring over an old Rand McNally map book of each state that my parents had when I was a child. My eyes followed the roads through forests, over mountains, across deserts and plains. My brain took in both mundane and strange place names. I imagined the adventure of it all, seeing the world, “discovering” new places that I’d never even heard about.
When I discovered vintage maps, and learned about the world explorers in school, my adventurous imagination was ignited in a brand new way. But even more interesting to me than the excitement of the thought of Magellan sailing the seven seas, was the shear artistic element of these old maps. Modern maps such as Rand McNally atlases still hold a certain fascination, but they don’t compare to the artistic beauty of vintage maps from Renaissance times.
The other thing I love about maps and mapmaking is the ample metaphors for life. The concepts used in mapmaking and navigating can be compared to how we 'navigate' this one life of ours. Life requires a mixture of planning and adjusting to the uncertainties that come our way. The first explorers and great navigator used mapmaking and navigation tools to plan, but had to embrace the adventure of the unknown. For my own life, I find this to be a good balance, inspired by these mapmaking concepts.
About
The
Collection
This collection of papercut floral bouquets features printed vintage maps as the background to the cut-out flowers. Flowers are always a delight to cut into paper, and by pairing florals with vintage maps, there is an added charm to beauty of the vintage map. I hope these artworks bring an element of beauty into your hope, as well as inspire your sense of adventure.
