SAL Challenge: Salish Sea Map

[image_with_animation image_url=”9675″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Topophilia (From Greek topos “place” and -philia, “love of”) is a strong sense of place, which often becomes mixed with the sense of cultural identity among certain people and a love of certain aspects of such a place.

Today is the first of a series of Topophilia Creative Exercises, this one based on the Salish Sea.

In 2009, the Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Strait of Georgia got a name change to the Salish Sea, recognized by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The expanse and boundaries of the Salish Sea can be seen on these maps here.

Today’s challenge is to make a map that defines the Salish Sea. I realize this project is large as it is, but the map needs only to illustrate an aspect of the sea, and if you have time and are enjoying the work, feel free to add thoughts, memories, flora and fauna. Artists’ choice to collage, trace, draw, cut, or integrate multimedia. See below for inspirations. Note the inspirations below are not of the Salish Sea, but various artist’s topophilia of their own places. For maps of the Salish Sea, click here.

There is a great Salish Sea Art & Activism lecture and workshop coming up at the League – the talk is June 10th, the class starts June 12th.

Thank you for sharing your work! I love seeing these artworks online. People who post to Instagram or on Facebook will be eligible to win prizes (see details). No matter where you post, tag us so we can find it #seattleartistleague #salchallenge.

The June SAL Challenge: Creative exercises once a day for 30 days.

Special thanks to League instructor Claire Putney of Topophilia Studios for her help with this post.