Jocelyn Curry

With personal information removed, here is the finished map. At 20"x26", the map is large enough to allow a greatly reduced image of it to be folded and used as a pocket map while family members and private visitors navigate the property on foot, skis, bicycle or sled.

It was late October, 2017 when I first received an email from a couple who sought an artist to create a map for their family retreat property in Vermont. After years of thoughtful property development and construction of a home, a cabin, and outbuildings, they wanted it all mapped for practical but artistic wayfinding. Their wish to commemorate family members through naming woodland trails, structures and overlooks after their ancestors and current family members was their hearts' desire. This passion and their overall joy in active family togetherness compelled me to accept the challenge of designing their map. I said yes without having seen photos or existing documentation of the land. Once I began receiving those aids, I quickly realized the awesome task ahead of me! Through the months, we worked closely and harmoniously toward the map's creation. 

For this post I've compiled a few images to illustrate to readers the design approach I took. A photo of the finished, framed map in place is at the bottom of this column.

The first step was to sketch two layouts for the map and the added features around the property boundary. This northerly-oriented layout was selected.

My clients had thoroughly documented their property with drone photos, GPS trail tracings, and casual photography. Here is one working draft showing their work on naming trails. I also superimposed a few graphics in the top right section to help determine scale.

After penciling in many of the map's features through 3 layers of pre-existing specialized maps, I inked them in on tracing vellum before transferring the whole to the final art paper.

 Samples of lettering, icon drawings, and paint colors were essential in making choices for the final rendering of the complex map. 

Here is the inked and painted, finished section shown in the draft sketch above.

Nine months after the initial phone conversation, the map was completed and shipped to my clients. Starting with their sending an abundance of photographs, images of antique area maps, Colonial signage examples and modern land documents, they were involved in every stage of development of this heirloom piece of artwork. After my pencil draft was developed enough to review with them in person, I traveled with my husband to Vermont to meet them at Hidden Hill. There I, too, fell in love with this land and deeply admired the visionary trail planning and artisan construction work completed throughout it. To be the chosen mapmaker will always feel like an honor.

What a complete delight it was to me to receive this photograph of the map handsomely framed and placed in the primary entry area of the Hidden Hill home. Here, hikers, skiers, bicyclers and all others can refer to the map on their way out the door to explore, walk in contemplation, or have lively recreational time together.