Friday, December 02, 2011

Personal Geographies by Jill K. Berry


Greenwood Drive
Greenwood Drive by Jane LaFazio


"When I was a little girl, I lived on Greenwood Drive. My whole world existed in about 5 square blocks. My best friend lived down the street, two doors down from the lady that handed out candy all year long, across the street from the mean man who yelled when I rode my bike on his lawn. The next door neighbor’s granddaughter would visit every year, and we’d string up tin can telephones to talk across the driveway. Burton Park was a few blocks where I’d wade in the children’s pool, play on the swings and attend birthday party picnics. Seems like every day an ice cream truck’s music alerted me to ask for dimes from my mom. Good memories of life on Greenwood Drive."


Jill K. Berry's new book "Personal Geographies"

Jill K. Berry has a brand new book!  Personal Geographies is really packed with every type of map imaginable. Some, look like real maps, until you take a closer look. Others are 3-dimensional or in a heart or body shape. Jill's a well-known book artist, and she's got some fold-out, booky maps too. She's got guest artists, so you see their take on the map theme, and how truly free wheeling it can be. Maps of experience, maps of places, maps of dreams, of possibilities.There are 21 (!) mixed media map projects in this book. And references to traditional and contemporary maps, and how they can inspire you. Plus, a gallery of maps from contributors. (Full disclosure, my map, Greenwood Drive, is on page 91)
Jill's wit is apparent through out the book. Her head map "My idea of a neighbor's day" with extra long eyelashes and a mouth that closes after 1500 calories.
At the same time, I'm wowed by her sensitively. There's another head map called "A Map, Perhaps, of Nancy" depicting how Jill imagines her friend's brain, after she'd suffered a stroke. So many maps, all different, ALL inspirational. Oh, and directions are included too!

90 comments:

  1. I love maps and make many traditional and untraditional ones - including floor plans of every place I lived since birth. Right now I'm struggling with a map of a small area of Venice (finding calle names is tough) for my next travel sketchbook.

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  3. I'd make a map of the town I just moved to. I spend a lot of time lately on Google maps just trying to find the grocery store.

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  4. I think maps of a room are cool -- where is each piece of furniture, where does each person like to land, how does the light enter the room...

    the book looks amazing. Definitely on my wish list.

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  5. I'd make a map of the interior landcscape of an adult survivor, who is not just surviving, but thriving.

    In fact, I think I will!

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  6. Since I've been following all the bloggers in the blog hop and the coomments, I've seen so many lovely ideas for maps. I just painted a map with two hearts and all the roads traveled between them... so grateful for the shared stories on the blogs and within the book. "☆¨(✿◠‿◠)❀♫❤ ☼ ☯ ~Hobby

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  7. What a wonderful giveaway! My husband and I will be moving from NC to CA in the next few months, so I would like to make a map of all the adventures in between.

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  8. I would like to make a map of my dreams--I dream a lot. This sounds like a great book.
    However, in my lifetime I have only won pick-up sticks and a turkey. go figure. Sigh!!
    Janet Wright, San Juan Island

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  9. Perhaps I would map my life so far, or what I hope for the rest of it. Perhaps I could map my brain on mindless tv (Boy! That one would be easy!) Or my path through my family room after a visit from my toddler grandson...sort of Family Circus style. Fun!

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  10. I'd map our golf course....maybe that would help my game!!!

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  11. I collect old maps and how fun it would be to make one of the town I grew up in.
    Jan H.

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  12. I'd make a map of my craft room. Might help me find stuff easier.

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  13. i used to draw maps for a living, surveyors' maps. back in the day when we used technical pens, protractors and straight edges! i think i would like to make a map of the sea. since i've mapped so much land, a little water would be fun!

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  14. I LOVE maps!!! I would love this book and will buy it (if I don't win!). I've never actually made a map quilt or collage, but have used ready-made maps in my art journaling. Sounds like this book would expand my horizons.

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  15. I'd make a map of how i got from west Texas to northern CA. Thanks for the giveaway. Hugs! deb

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  16. A map of my soul- I think by drawing it out it would give me some insights... :)

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  17. Maps and time are all mixed up in my synesthetic brain--I'd love to map a stretch of time the way I see it.

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  18. I think I would do a map of my dogs and their adventures on hiking trips through the forest. They disappear for awhile and check back in and then romp off...I wonder what they are doing?

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  19. LOVE your Greenwood Drive map quilt! It is amazing!

    I like the idea of creating a map of my studio. It is such an important place for me, but never thought of making a map of it until I read the comments above!

    This year, I've been creating map paintings of my journey on the Big Island of Hawaii along with the rapid geology that takes place there.

    Thank you for hosting this giveaway!
    All the best,
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  20. I'd make a map of my childhood neighborhood -- and try to convey the sense of space it had -- there was room to roam!

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  21. Hi Jane,
    A map that I intend to make will trace the ponderosa pine tree that ends up in my wood burning stove. And I guess I might map what happens to it after it burns and the stage two contraption renders it safe for the atmosphere. I love the late autumn here when all of the pine seeds use their wings to land on fertile ground.
    Mary

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  22. I'd map the place I grew up in Germany. Would be fun to remember it again.

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  23. I've been looking at this book for a while. I'd make a map of a typical day in my life, exploring the different ways each part of it affect my moods.

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  24. I've been thinking about my dad a lot lately and what the inside of his brain looked like as he suffered from Alzheimer's. A map of that might be a way to describe my emotions as he went through his gradual fading of knowledge.

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  25. Thanks Jane for letting me know about this artist. I love to travel and would create a fairytale type of map showing where I have traveled and I woudl include space for all of the places and people left to visit and meet. There is nothing like a great visual to inspire me to take action and book a flight!

    Thanks for the opportunity to win the book. I went out and bought one for a gift. It looks amazing!

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  26. I would make a map of places we love to visit around town and things we love to do. I would even make a map of places I would love to visit!

    Thanks for the opportunity!

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  27. I've had several ideas for maps as I've blog hopped, and the one that is on my mind now is a map of my ideal vegetable garden. It would include my favorite vegetables, some birds, some bugs, maybe a little garden snake. My other ideas have been rather more spiritual in nature, and this seems like a fun and simple map. I'd do it on fabric and paint, stamp, and stitch on it. Maybe some little beaded berries for some sparkle. This blog hop has been very productive for me! As I have answered the questions I have come up with some good ideas. Thanks!

    Donna Johnson

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  28. I would love to create a map of my future, a sorta of goal map.

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  29. I've followed the blog hop for more than a few days now and I always say that I'd like to map a day in the life of my two dogs, Sally & Daisy Mae. I also think that a typical day in my busy mind (which might be ADD) could be interesting!
    D~~~~

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  30. Love your Greenwood Drive quilt. I'd like to do something like that for my grown up daughter of our beach community where she grew up and just loves to this day. For a long time she thought it was the best place ever and the center of her universe. I'm going to have to have a copy of Jill's book, I think. So many possibilities for projects.

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  31. Thanks for your great discription of your neighborhood. Reminds me of mine. Makes me want to make my own map. Thanks.

    Tressa Burnett

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  32. Mapping a part of my history would be a wonderful way of preserving memories

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  33. I'd love to make a map of my journey as a late bloomer. I never thought of myself as artistic, until I stumbled on your and Melly's blogs. The world has opened up and I have paints that are used. To map this I would start in elementary school and then fast forward to 5 years ago. It would be a map of reflection and thanks. Thanks for helping me make a new map for myself.

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  34. Wonderful! I would make a map of where the materials for a quilt have come from.

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  35. Your Greenwood Drive remembrance made me think about my childhood. I lived a lot of places growing up and I'd like to make a map connecting them all.

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  36. I'd like to map the travels of the produce that is sitting in my kitchen right now. I could look at the labels and see where they started out on their journey.

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  37. Thanks for the giveaway! My map would be of our yard from my dogs' point of view.
    joaniehoffman@gmail.com

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  38. I would have to map the location in West Virginia where my husband spent his last day - a place I have never been. I've had my eye on this book on Amazon for awhile now.

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  39. I would like to make a map of the town I was born in with my Grandad's barber shop and my parent's cafe and the grocery and the school. Most of those things are gone now so I would have to use a lot of imagination but it would be fine to pass on to my grandsons.

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  40. Oh, what fun to map one's own studio! Not sure how I could do it... but then, that's what the book would show us, isn't it? What a delightful read this book would be! I can see I might feel compelled to map all sorts of places real and imagined.

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  41. I'd love to make a road map of my life - a big world map - blank... I'd make all the little dotted lines add dates and the visual images of the importance or significance of that place and that time.

    Jill is an inspiration and so are you - thank you!

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  42. A map of my life would be a very big map! So I would like to start with a map of my life as a child in Kentucky.

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  43. I think it would be neat to map the locations from which all of these blog comments come. It's amazing to me how far and wide the internet reaches.

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  44. I need to make a map/timeline of my life, as I can never remember when certain events happened unless I start counting on fingers and trying to do math. I have to fill out a medical history form, so I think this will be impetus for such a map. Thanks for the giveaway! I would really love this book. It's neat to see how many others also love maps.

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  45. I'd make a map of the places I have lived...from one to the other...and what I have loved and lost along the way. Thanks for a chance to win the book. :D

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  46. a map of everywhere i lived while growing up army... would be awesome

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  47. I'd love to try a map of the mountain property we used to own.

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  48. mapping nyc would be a lifetime job --but I'd like to try -kathyS

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  49. I am lusting after this book! I love maps and combining them with art is making my heart soar!! Thank you for this giveaway.

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  50. I would love to map the old farmhouse and property where we lived in the early 80's - Delano, TN. It was the first time we Californians discovered lightening bugs, cardinals, beautiful blue jays... the list goes on and on! Our kids were just toddlers and we lived miles away from family. It was an adventurous time for us... What a map it would be!

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  51. Andrea Hawkes12/03/2011 6:56 AM

    Great Idea - a map of my messy kitchen/studio.

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  52. Wow Jane - just reading about your childhood neighbor hood flooded me with memories of my little street and all of my perceptions of the adult neighbors (like the lady who gave out candy year round and the man who didn't like you riding your bike across his lawn). I love your giveaways, and hope that maybe this time I'll be the lucky winner! Otherwise, I know I'll buy this wonderful book!

    xo

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  53. I think it would be interesting to do a map that shows the elevations and includes the peaks and valleys of my life...to see just how far I have come!

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  54. I like to map out places I've been but also places I wish to see-it's a good thing to put it out to the universe, right? Thanks for the chance to win this book-it looks FAB!!

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  55. I would love to win this book but if I don’t, I’ll get it myself!! I am going on vacation in maine next September and I’d love to map that trip–it’s going to be very special–I’ll be reuniting with friends I used to vacation with every year until about 10 years ago. YEAH me!!!

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  56. Just bought this book for my sister for her birthday, and I thought I sure would like a copy for myself too...maybe I'll be lucky. Beautiful felted piece, Jane...what a treasure.

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  57. Today, I am trying to catch up on my blog reading, and when I opened yours up and saw Greenwood Drive, I thought how cool. Maps can show where we would love to go, where we have been. I want to be able to show my journeys of my life, good and bad. I just need a jump start and I think this book may be my answer.

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  58. I love maps and what a wonderful idea to create your own personal ones. I'd love this book

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  59. I love the idea of approaching history through maps. I've sketched out the place in Austin, TX, where I grew up, including such important places such as where the Doberman that chewed up our swimming pool lived. I'd love to read this book!

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  60. I laughed at the suggestion to create a map of one's studio to better be able to find things...that's a GREAT idea! Plus I think it might be fun to map my plans/ goals/ dreams/ intentions, as a means of making my way toward them!

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  61. I love your felted map.
    I'd map out my world of hobbies and crafts. I might be fun to see how big the journey has been.

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  62. I'm still mapping the cupcake travels (the one that is slowwwwwly making it to my tummy) and part of the journey is just enjoying the fact that it is there.

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  63. Oh this sounds intriguing. I would love to map out my childhood. I would love to make a map for a friend who has recovered from a long illness where she was unconscious for many months. It could honor her long road back to her fantastic recovery.

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  64. I hope I'm not too late - lol. I could make dozens of maps but I'll start with high school. A rich ground of memories and touchstones.

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  65. Jane, I love your Greenwood Drive map. I'd like to make a map of the year I spent living in Massachusettes when I was nine. So many lovely memories :-)

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  66. it's funny that you mentioned a brain map - I have a deformed brain that has verious problems and i think it would be interesting to map that!

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  67. Oh Jane, I just loved Greenwood Drive! I'm inspired to make a map of my neighborhood!

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  68. Great giveaway! I have had a project I've been wanting to do that involves all of the military moves my family did in 20+ years!

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  69. I'd map my neighborhood walk.

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  70. i'd make a map of all the projects that i have in my mind that i'd like to make!

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  71. i love maps, always have. back in the days i was a child and globes had fewer countries that didn't change names i knew them all. i enjoy studying old maps and picture maps. i would like to make a maps of friends left behind when i made each of my several moves from place to place. one map for each one showing a trip encompassing our adventures together.

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  72. What an intriguing blog you have! I would map my travels real and imagined.

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  73. I would have to make three maps. Being 76 yrs. young I would make a map of my life growing up as a youngster, then my rving trips as an adult, then trips to my childrens' homes.

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  74. How about mapping an hour of blog surfing?

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  75. I should think about making a map of all the 7-11's I stop at to manage my tea habit!

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  76. Especially during this month's busy days, it would be fun to map my way through the holidays -- and then enjoy them all over again as a visual journal.

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  77. What a interesting book. I can think of all sorts of ways to use the map idea. A fun thing to do. Hope i am the lucky winner.

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  78. This book sounds so inspiring. My fingers are crossed! I'd love to try to map one of my crazy dreams. It would be very fascinating.

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  79. I would make a map about my visit to my Aunt Ruth and all my cousins in January in Pennsylvania. I hadn't seen my Aunt and Cousins in almost 30 years. I would map the places we visited; my cousin Roberta's house, Holly & Joe's house; Aunt Ruth's house.

    Linda
    greiss@bellsouth.net

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  80. this book looks wonderful and your childhood map may just inspire me to make my own....cause your work inspires me always!

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  81. I would map a journey I've taken.

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  82. I'd make a map of my hair -- long, curly, all over the place, and all kinds of colors in it. I'd like to see where my hair would take me.

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  83. mapping in felting would be fun

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  84. I think I would like to make a hand map. This looks very cool! Thanks for offering the book.

    Lorna

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  85. Love your map. I think I'd make one about where my DH and I at lunches (at work in Seattle) when we were pre-dating. :D

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  86. Can't hurt to leave a comment, looks like a book I would love to have.

    A map I might make? It would be a heart map, of my journey (so far) through the loves of my life. Rivers and dogs included...

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  87. Thank you for the drawing/blog hop. I would make a map of all the places that someone smiled in my neighborhood.

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  88. Thank you for the drawing/blog hop. I would make a map of all the places that someone smiled in my neighborhood.

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  89. I love this blogroll adventure, so I would create a map of everywhere I've been and what I learned! Awesome!

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