Summer Maps and Events
Hey friends!
I’ve got a few updates to share - new Seattle maps, some upcoming events, and some thoughts on framing.
Seattle
Last weekend was my first ever Seattle show with Renegade Craft, and it’s where I debuted my newest map of Seattle, now available on the site in all the usual sizes and options.
I love going to events and seeing how these maps manage to catch someone’s eye from across the hall. The Seattle map in particular was a great conversation starter, and I’m really proud of how it turned out.
But events are also exhausting, and I’m glad to be back and to have a chance to catch my breath. Though not for long, as I’ve got a pretty packed summer, both of events and new stuff to work on.
Galbraith Mountain and Summer Events
Next up is one for the mountain bikers in the PNW: Galbraith Mountain! I’m not much of a mountain biker myself, so I’ve sought the help of local enthusiasts to look over my map and ensure I got all those details just right. The model is just about ready, and I can’t wait to share the finished map.
I’ll debut this at the NW Tune Up Festival in Bellingham from July 11-13, just in time to kick things off with my summer non-profit partner, the Whatcom Mountain Biking Coalition. I’ll donate 10% of all my sales through the season the WMBC to support their work in trail stewardship, education, and advocacy. WMBC is such an important group to making Whatcom County great, and I’m thrilled to partner with them.
Meanwhile, I want to thank the Northwest Avalanche Center for being an amazing partner for the spring season - I haven’t tallied it all up yet, but you helped us raise a lot of money for critical avalanche forecast and awareness work.
As for other events this summer, I’ll be back in Seattle for one day only at Urban Craft Uprising (July 27), and then in Bellingham for the Noisy Waters Mural Festival on August 16. Rounding out August is Valley Made in Mt. Vernon on Aug 24.
In between the events, I’ll be working on more locations to add to the library. Likely candidates are Olympic National Park and the frequently requested Mt. St. Helens before/after eruption variant. As always - I welcome your ideas for new locations to feature, or to work on a custom commission with you too.
Some thoughts on frames
One of the trickiest parts of my process is framing. I design and make these custom frames myself, and it’s been a long process to sort out the tolerance and fit of these things. But one of the biggest headaches for me is the clear acrylic covers on my frames. I chose acrylic because it’s less fragile than glass, and the way I built my original frames required capturing the sheet within the frame - making it non-removable. Plus, acrylic cuts like butter on the laser.
But the tradeoff is the annoyances of acrylic being easier to scratch, and a magnet for fingerprints and smudges.
So I’ve created a new version of my frames that have a slide out cover. This makes it easier for me to assemble and ensure the glazing is as crystal clear as possible. It also means I can start offering glass as a glazing option too. In fact, I’m hoping to swap to glass entirely in the future - Acrylic is just as clear and protective - but glass is a much more environmentally friendly material and frankly, way less of a frustration to work with. I’m slowly working these new frames into my new map production, so be on the lookout for them!
Separately, I’ve also got ideas for framed maps without any glazing at all. The reality is the maps themselves are pretty durable - they don’t need the protection of acrylic or glass, and an unglazed version means I can get more creative with larger format and tiled map options. This concept needs a bit more time in the oven though, and I’ll share more as it evolves.