The Map Project

Detail of my Palm Map

Sometimes work just doesn't work. You have a great idea, you know how you want to do it but for some reason it's just not right. I had this problem whilst working on my piece for the Art House Co-op's Map Project. I had, it's true, left it a little to the last minute as life generally seems to have been insanely hectic recently. However, I had a pretty clear idea what I was going to do and how I wanted it to look. But it just wasn't happening, whatever I did it just didn't work which was very frustrating. I tried changing media and technique but to no avail. So, I left it alone which is sometimes the only option (well, that or complete insanity.)

Had I still had plenty of time to work on the project I wouldn't have been so bothered but as it was I only had a very small window to complete it if I was going to meet the postage deadline. As sometimes happens in these situations I rattled off a piece of work and ended up being far more pleased with the results than with all the other failed experiments. So, here is my completed piece. I had originally intended to do a large drawn and stitched map 'of experience' incorporating images of my hands and various layers of text, image and stitch. This piece would then have folded down to 4x6 inches, as stipulated in the brief. However, things did not go according to plan but I still wanted to keep the basic idea the same; to make a personal map of experience and what is more personal than your hands?

My Map 

Detail

I began by photocopying my hand as I liked the correlation between fingerprints and map contours and the palm readers ideas about love lines and life lines and being able to tell a lot about a person from their hand. I then added washes of white paint and ink and when that was dry I began writing my experiences over where the lines in my hand would be. Some of the stuff I wrote was positive, these are the lighter areas, and some was negative, the darker, more densely written areas. I then added some stitching and cut it down to 4x6 and got it posted. Although it is not how I envisaged it I am pleased with it as it is personal and I think visually it is quite interesting.

Stitch Detail