Creative Cartography

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Maria Arvizu

SEEKING PEACE WITHIN

Az map, ink, and watercolor

My piece is trying to seek peace through nature and ourselves while struggling through mental hardships. I used various materials to capture the essence of peace within our true selves and also find it through nature.

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Maria Arvizu

PEACE AT LAST

Az map, clay, ink, and acrylic

This piece represents finding peace at last and feeling free from internal struggles. I cut up pieces from the map and attached them to the clay sculpture to represent putting the pieces back together and finding peace.

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Autumn Byars                                               

IS THERE GOD IN THIS SADNESS?

AZ ground water map, acrylic paint, and cardboard

My piece deals with the question of depression. With my layers of cardboard, I invite you to descend into the pit that sits in my chest and ask the questions: Is God here with me in this sadness; is this sadness God?

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Autumn Byars                                               

HOME             

AZ map, colored pencil

My piece explores the concept of feeling at home in a physical space. The map depicts the West Valley, where I grew up; as I've gotten older, I've also learned to be at home in this body, trusting myself to be my own compass. 

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Lea Byrnes

SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND

Map, ink, watercolor, and acrylics

For my piece, I utilized a mixed media technique of metallic and regular watercolors, ink, and Golden acrylic paint on a topographic map. The hands are seeking, but not yet finding; they don’t see the flowers in front of them.

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Lea Byrnes

FOUND

Map, mannequin, and pipe cleaners

My sculpture represents the beautiful flower of faith, love, and hope being found. I covered the mannequin in a map key and twisted pipe cleaners to create a rose.

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Mia Christensen

AGUILAS DEL DESIERTO

AZ map and  ballpoint pen

My piece was created on a map of the Luke Airforce Base on the border of AZ and Mexico, an active military bombing range with a high mortality rate for migrants passing through to the border due to its dangerous conditions and restricted access from aid workers. ‘Los Aguilas del Desierto’, or “the Eagles of the Desert” is a group of volunteers who go out into the harsh desert in search of migrants in need of help and the bodies of those who perished.

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Mia Christensen

AGUILA

AZ map, Bristol paper, glue, and tape

Both my pieces are about a group of volunteers called ‘Los Aguilas del Desierto’, or “the Eagles of the Desert”, who go out into the harsh desert in search of migrants in need of aid or rescue. This 3D piece depicts the animal symbol chosen to represent this very strong and courageous group of people.

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Freddie Espinoza

AMONG THE LAND

AZ map, ink, watercolor, and colored pencil

Organic shapes are hidden among our maps. They form colorful representations of what is really there.

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Freddie Espinoza

GEOLOGICAL SUSTRUCTURE

AZ map and clay

We often apply our imagination to natural phenomena and organic shapes like clouds or a coffee stain. This piece also hides a familiar shape in the form of a geological structure.

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Nicole Everding 

CAMERA 

AZ map and cut paper 

My piece displays a 3D model of a camera wrapped in an AZ map, which is a direct tie to my other piece ”Found Footage.” The camera is the vehicle in which “Found Footage” was filmed.  

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Nicole Everding 

FOUND FOOTAGE 

AZ map and graphite 

My piece presents a found footage horror film scene of a person being chased by a monster moments before the footage ends. The story takes place on the Jeep Trail found on the map.  

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Riley Benitez Gaudette

TEN THOUSAND MOTHERS, FATHERS, BROTHERS, SISTERS, SONS, AND DAUGHTERS

Topographic map of the US-AZ/MX-SO border and markers

This piece includes a drawn map which represents the estimated 10,000 people who have lost their lives attempting to cross the border since the 1990s in search of a better, safer life for themselves and their loved ones. Last year, 2021, was the deadliest year on record with a total of 728 known deaths. 

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Riley Benitez Gaudette

SEARCHING STILL

Geological map of AZ, styrofoam head, synthetic eyelashes, paint markers, reflective paper, and glue

This piece represents the journey of self-discovery that every person embarks on throughout their life. By layering different pieces of the topographic map and pairing that with a heavy focus on the figure’s eyes, the message is one of conscious learning and growth. 

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Danielle Magluyan

MONSTER?

AZ map and ink

This piece portrays the search for a hidden monster under the bed. It is illustrated in a frantic, expressive manner, to portray the fear and anxiety of the search.

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Danielle Magluyan

MONSTER!

AZ map, clay, tin foil, and acrylic paint

This piece represents the actual finding of the monster. Since it is obscured from view, the viewer is required to turn their head and find the creature themselves, placing themselves in the narrative.

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Kellie M. Martinez

SEEK DIVINITY

AZ map, watercolor, and cut map paper

My piece is a glimpse into the cosmos. What are you worshiping?

Where is she taking you? 

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Kellie M. Martinez

FINDING LIGHT

AZ map and matte acrylic paint

My piece represents hope. Find where you are going. Seek the light.

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Victoria Menge

MAPPING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INFLUENCER AND INTERESTED

AZ Map, acrylic, and ink

My 3D piece focuses on the current plant on-line trends. I used cut paper and acrylic to focus on the importance of genuinely caring for houseplants and the world around you, rather than just getting plants because that’s what will get you the most likes.

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Victoria Menge

ARIZONA ALTERNATIVES

AZ map, ink, watercolor, and watercolor pencil

My work depicts native and invasive plants that reside within the Coronado National Forest in Arizona. I’m using the plants to showcase the importance of learning about Arizona plants and being able to honor and take care of them as the effects of climate change continue to grow.

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Natalia V. Merdick-López

CAPTAIN CALLYPSOS’ PIRATE MAP

AZ map, ink, Micron pen, watercolor, and coffee

My piece was inspired by creating a fantasy-style pirate map. It uses fine line details to illustrate hidden cameos such as little bones, monsters, and fanciful creatures.

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Natalia V. Merdick-López

A PIRATE’S FINAL TREASURE

AZ map, Posca marker, ink, acrylic paint, Mod-Podge, and eyeshadow

My piece was inspired by the idea of a pirate’s final treasure: a pirate’s skull. The idea being, once they’re gone, only their bones remain.

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Elena M. Morales                                                       

THE PATH TO FIND GOLD                

AZ map, ink, watercolor, stencil, and spray paint         

As an artist, most of the time you are your own harshest critic. This piece was about letting go of all my judgement and just creating.

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Elena M. Morales

THE ORIGINAL VESSLE

AZ map, kids building blocks, and matt medium

All maps were used to map the new world. The only way we got here and most places was by boat.

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Serenity A. Nez

DRAGON HUNT

AZ map, Micron pen, and watercolor

My piece is a painting of a dragon from ancient China. The viewer is on a quest to look for the dragon.

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Serenity A. Nez

WELCOME TO THE LAIR

AZ map, metal wire, and air-dry clay

My piece is the physical dragon from the map. Instead of being fearsome, it is actually a wise and friendly dragon that grants wishes.

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Chele Pacheco

THE ARTIST

Az map, matte gel, watercolor, and acrylic

The cost of being an artist is a mixture of chaos and art. Some of the greatest masterpieces come from self-sacrifice and heartbreak, all entangled within the journey to find inspiration.

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Chele Pacheco

THE MUSE

Az map, 3D print of anatomical heart, wood canvas, matte gel, watercolor, and acrylic

The artistic journey of finding inspiration can be ignited within the most excruciating experiences. The decision to merge yourself as an artist within your art is an act of self-sacrifice that puts your heart on display for the world to see.

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Sarah Starks                                                  

THE DARK KINGDOM                        

Tucson map, ink, and cut paper          

My piece imagines a world in which demons reside.

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Sarah Starks

TORTURED SOUL

Tucson map, ink, and paper mache

My piece depicts a soul found within an imagined demonic kingdom.

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Hannah Thomas

PERIODIC REFUGE

AZ map, found aspen leaves, preservative sealer, stainless steel pins, and water-based glue

Using found seasonal materials from the Northern Arizona area depicted on the map, my piece is a representation of the creative process and the impetus for inspiration. Familiar places often serve as muse, and a safe-haven for ideas to flourish, as before, or to be seen anew.

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Hannah Thomas

COALESCENCE

AZ map, wood, aluminum wire, water-based glue, acrylic paint, plexiglass, and gold foil

Inspired by the creative process, this piece represents the delineation and agglomeration of ideas through lateral thinking. Topographical shapes enlarged from the map bring form to the melding and shifting brainstorm that transfers vision into innovation.

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Ethan L. Tri

HIDDEN WITHIN THE BOARD

Az map, watercolor, and ink

This is a mid-match game of chess with the black knight piece missing. Finding the location of where to place the chess piece is key to winning.

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Ethan L. Tri

THE KNIGHT’S GAMBIT

Az map, hot glue, and cardboard

A chess piece is missing in this game of chess. Put the missing piece on the board where the piece is most likely to score a kill.

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Grace L. Vohs

SEEKING TRUTH

AZ map, cardboard, hot glue, and watercolor

My piece focuses on how humanity, symbolized by the hands, seeks truth, represented by the sphere. Humanity is complex, organic, with earthy tones; truth is structured and sunset colored, and it barely fits into the hands.

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Grace L. Vohs

FINDING HOME

AZ map, ink, watercolor, and acrylic paint

My piece shows how humanity tries to find what home means to us. For me, home is about the nature around me, influenced by my hometowns of Flagstaff, AZ and Incline Village (Lake Tahoe), and this piece portrays the serenity of home while keeping the actual home blank, because everyone’s definition of home is different.