Communicating about Maps

Following the initial launch of my website, www.coastalartmaps.com, and its related Facebook and Etsy sites, I got a lot of positive feedback from friends and other interested parties about the style and content.  Many folks asked very good questions about why I have done the maps that you’ve seen so far and why I don’t have others.  Most specifically, numerous people asked about Florida, a state that has a very large coastline and which many people from the greater NY area have ties to.  These questions also dovetailed nicely with thoughts about getting to work on maps that were outside of my original geographic area, something that I hope the websites will help facilitate.  Most of my creative time on these maps takes place in the winter, as a result of bad weather and more time inside, which helps them appear in time for spring when peoples’ thoughts turn more to outdoor activities (like boating and fishing) and engagement with the very areas that my maps depict.  So this time of year usually finds me working on new projects and this year is no exception.  Having done some research and thought quite a bit about who is really interested in what I do, I’ve decided to make the next maps of the Florida Keys.  These represent really iconic pieces of land and water and are locations that many, many people have been to and feel a real connection with, myself included.