Number hungry? Here are some garden-fresh stats!

The population of the Map as of the latest census (1053) was 16,304,885. There were 27 parishes and 416 cities.

The largest cities were:
     1. Ukrainia                  2,414,234
     2. Geo                        1,663,163
     3. Sabratha                1,033,782
     4. Wybourne                 990,212
     5. Leyemouth                800,363
     6. Southchurch             730,140
     7. Jackson                    586,034
     8. Nelleville                   585,795
     9. Fields West              454,782
    10. Plaeides                  423,152

As of the last inventory (2/17/13) the Map was composed of 2738 panels covering 1521 square feet. 1720 First Generation panels have been archived. The maximum East-West dimension is 44 feet, and the maximum North-South is 49.4 feet.

What else would you like to know?

A new show!

I have just been invited to show a large section of the Map at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center in Brattleboro, Vermont from November 1, 2013 to March 4, 2014! I hope that some of you will be able to come. So, mark your calendars!

I expect to show about 800 of the central panels (including the one above) in a gallery space that will accommodate the entire width of the Map wrapped around four walls. This will be the first time that a section has enveloped a whole room. I think that the installation will be very effective.

If any of you know of other venues for shows please let me know. I'd love to be able to exhibit out West in this 50th anniversary year of the start of the Map. Thanks!

A note on Map dating

Some of you have noticed that those tiny numbers on the Map panels do not represent altitudes but rather indicate the date when that part of the panel was painted or collaged. Those Map dates correspond to "our" years, and I keep a list of equivalent dates. Currently there are about 85 Map years to each of our calendar years.

In the early years of my Map-making the years were determined by the rate of increase in the Map population. A one percent increase in population was equal to one Map year. You may see some tiny hand-written dates on the early panels.

In recent times that system became too tedious to maintain. Also, because I can now print sheets of clear labels with computer generated numbers the number of date labels per Map year has become arbitrary. We are currently in Map year 1050.

An expanding Void

The Void Incursion which most recently hit the Polk neighborhood of Wybourne in Map Years 752 and 805 yesterday (Map Year 1045) consumed another large expanse of that city carrying off to another dimension an estimated 28,590 people. Taken, too, were over 20 commercial blocks and one rail station.

Since there is no defense wall in this area it is widely assumed that the entire West end of Wybourne will, one day, be lost to the Void.

Another new direction

On January 9th of this year I switched from doing collage in 2" squares to doing it in 1" squares. I thought I might get worn out doing it this way since, to cover the entire map, it would take almost 224,000 of the little guys!

But so far, so good! I love the way it looks. You can see its manifestation along the lower edge of the collage work above. What do you think?

A special offer

Everyone who buys two Map panel prints from me on ebay between now and January 31, 2013 will receive a FREE randomly chosen print! Buy four and get TWO FREE!

So, don't be shy! Start your collection today. And tell your neighbor or best friend.......

Thanks!

New directions

At the beginning of the new year I changed the system by which I move through the Map stacks. You probably know that the former system had me move top to bottom (North to South) and right to left (West to East) through the stacks according to the number turned up on my stack of cards.

To make things more interesting and random I now now move up, down, left, or right depending on the suit of the card. A nine of diamonds, for example, would have me move nine panels to the West of the previous one. If the number takes me to the edge of the Map I reverse direction and keep counting.

So far it's been fun!