Earth Maps

These Maps are made by re-imagining patterns found formed in dried and cracked mud in the Utah desert. I photograph the crack patterns, then trace the photographs, first manually then digitally. After printing the linear outlines on kozo tissue, I layer the print between sheets of other Japanese tissue. The earth tones come from repeated layers of powdered pigments and mica powders held together by acrylic washes. Finally, I fill in the outlines with acrylic paint to reveal the crack patterns. The final effect resembles very old maps, wrinkled and discolored.