Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Book Review (and a giveaway): Personal Geographies

I introduced you to Jill K. Berry here - she's an amazing mixed media artist and I am greatly attracted to her work. Lettering, maps, beautiful colors, collage? I love it. I wonder if those things tie into my college days as an architecture student?


I'm rambling. To the point. Jill has the most amazing book out titled

It's part project/technique, part inspiration, and ALL eye-candy and 
I get to give away a copy to one of you who
comment on this post!
You have until Dec 10th to tell me about your favorite map and what it means to you.

Campomigliaio Head Map by Giavanni Cera
My favorites? All of them.

There is something that intrigues me about maps of every kind. I can stare at them for hours. I have large laminated world and US maps on my wall that I'll drag the kids up to any time a "where" question comes up. I save every single National Geographic map insert and would paper my walls with them if I could get away with it. (Wait a minute - why wouldn't I? Hmmmmm - dangerous thoughts arising here!) 

Heart Map by Jill Berry

I love maps even more when they are of imagined worlds. I a huge fantasy and ski-fi literature freak and the maps of those worlds are some of my favorites. 

Maps as ART? Oh be still my beating heart. I've had a series of "map" quilts in my head for ages, waiting and waiting for me to get around to working on them. This book might just push them right to the front of the line.
Flipping Trip by Jill Berry


This book is full of those wonderful interior and imaginary maps, beautiful galleries of work from many different artists in different media.

I think perhaps one of the reasons I'm so drawn to mixed media work is that the techniques are very applicable to textiles. I can do almost anything on fabric these days that artists can do with paper or collage or paint. I can print stuff on fabric (isn't that the coolest thing!?!?) or even collage paper to it. (QA magazine has a number of articles that detail how to make "paper cloth.")

While I don't pick up project books intending to follow along a copy someone else's projects - these ideas are all so inspirational that they are sparking all kinds of images in my minds eye. This fold-up map box could just as easily be made with cloth on a stabilizer like craft fuse or timtex.

Cartographic Reliquary by Jill Berry
If you want even more yummy map type stuff - check out the blog that Jill started to further inspire you with more mapmaking beauty and wonderfulness.
There you will find links to book reviews, podcasts, other cool map links.
Carved copper hand map by Jill Berry

Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win!

Each of these blogs still has a giveaway of Jill's book open. Visit each and leave a comment for more chances to win your own copy of Personal Geographies. All the winners will be drawn on December 10th.
fine print: the publisher is only willing to ship to domestic US addresses. :-(

Friday, Nov 25 Aimee Myers Dolich http://artsyville.blogspot.com/
Mon Nov 28 Carla Sonheim http://carlasonheim.wordpress.com/
Tues Nov 29 Diana Trout http://www.dianatrout.typepad.com/
Weds Nov 30 Gloria Hansen http://www.gloriahansen.com/weblog/
Friday Dec 2 Jane LaFazio http://www.JaneVille.blogspot.com 
Tues Dec 6 Lisa Engelbrecht http://lisaletters.blogspot.com/
Weds Dec 7 Lyric Kinard http://lyrickinard.blogspot.com/
Thurs Dec 8 Orly Avineri http://oneartistjournal.wordpress.com 
Friday Dec 9 Tracie Lyn Huskamp http://thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com/

Jill Berry's map of her wedding day
And if I hadn't already bought my copy the minute it came out, I'd certainly buy it now.

During the Blog hop, there is a also a great deal here from the publisher.
Get FREE Shipping and 35% off retail price for PERSONAL GEOGRAPHIES! 
Visit ShopMixedMedia.com and use promo code SMM106 to claim your savings.

[Fine Print: Offer expires 12/09/11 at 11:59 pm EST. Offer applies to standing shipping in the US only. Please note that additional discounts and shipping offers are not available on products that ship directly from the manufacturer: see product pages for details. Thank you for shopping at ShopMixedMedia.com!]