5 Noteworthy Map Shops
The list below includes a handful of cartographers, artists, and adventurers whose work I follow. If I had walls (which I currently don't because I live on a sailboat), I would definitely invest in their art.
With the increase in the accessibility of online stores, as well as computer based cartography, more open-source data, and availability of historical maps there are a lot of options for the cartophiles in your life (and yes, there is a word for someone who loves maps!).
As I compiled the descriptions for each of the artists below I realized that cartography as art forces you to make an interesting decision: do you choose a map for its aesthetic value, or do you choose a map for it's sense of place? Said another way, is it an absolutely beautiful print or is it somewhere that means something to you? I guess if you're lucky it's both.
The maps in this map shop are a stellar example of a relatively recent digital cartography style that is grounded in elevation data. The number of maps available in this shop is a bit overwhelming (the search bar on the top right is your friend!), but once you start to parse it out by the main themes you are sure to find something that speaks to you. Like the maps I've made so far, I think that this map shop leans more towards science and dabbles in art.
The theme that runs through every East of Nowhere map is the use of high-resolution elevation data with either a historic map or satellite imagery overlaid. The result is three-dimensional looking maps. For the historic maps, it's sort of a 'take something old and make it new' aesthetic, which is very appealing for people who appreciate vintage maps.
I think the geometric topography of volcanic mountains really showcases the best parts of this processing style, so I might choose the map of Crater Lake. It's also a place I have always meant to visit, but never made the time to stop while driving to or from California.
If I were choosing based on aesthetic, on art, on just the visuals I would for sure choose this map of the Mississippi River meander belt. It's beautiful. The vintage colour pallet, the feeling of it being an illustration, and the designed-by-nature composition of the swirling lines from the historic channels of the river is amazing. I've never been to the Missisipii, it's not even on a list of places I want to go, but THIS MAP. Love it.
Amadeo Bachar is a California-based painter specializing in marine science illustration. His work is for the fish nerd in your life (my husband would cover every wall of our non-existent house with these prints if he could). I think this map shop finds a wonderful balance between art and science, with extra credit for the work all being made by hand. Although I love his fish paintings, what blows my mind is that he hand draws his charts. Each shoreline and contour line, every little reef, every shadow IS DRAWN BY HAND. I am especially fond of his "fish over charts" series.
Abachar's paintings are beautiful, bright, and crisp. Essentially everything I wish my little watercolour hobby had more of. He used to teach a scientific illustration course at UC Santa Cruz that I always wanted to take.
I think if I were to get one of his prints it would either be the Great White Shark or the Blue Fin Tuna. I really like the prints, like the Bluefin, where he adds in an extra layer like the waterline with fish, a fishing boat, or a bridge; I like the 'mixed media' feel of it, where the elements are stacked and you have to look at each component separately.
3: Questscapes
Honest to goodness treasure maps! Yup, you heard that right. These sailors have made beautiful prints that combine historic maps with an overlay of some lovely graphic design. With the added perk of a bunch of hidden clues that are cracked using a poetry cypher that, should you choose to accept the adventure, will lead you out into the wilderness of South-East Alaska and to actual buried treasure. All the prints are limited editions and are fabulous.
I suppose I would say that these maps balance art and adventure, who cares about science when there's treasure! The folks who created Questscapes found me on a boating app but we haven't managed to meet up yet.
If I were to choose a print based on aesthetics I would probably choose the "Treasure of Kruzof Island". I really like the look of the green trees and the bluff, and I think the water in the foreground really captures the movement of the waves. It would finally force me to head up to Alaska too. Our passage from Hawaii back to the mainland was supposed to make landfall in Sitka, but the weather gods had other ideas and we landed further south in British Columbia. If I were choosing a print based on going to the place it would be the hotsprings because, well, hotsprings! Who doesn't love hotsprings?
4: Barely Maps
The work by Peter Gorman wanders back and forth between cartography and minimalist graphic design and I LOVE IT. Most of his prints are a little puzzle that you have to solve before the information that is coming through your eyes makes sense to your brain.
His work is very place based, you have either been to the place on the map or you probably don't care. I find that very appealing. For each print you are either all in in or you're out. I very briefly met Peter at the farmers' market in Hilo after sailing 22 days from Baja to Hawaii. I was so excited to have someone to talk to about maps and graphic design. I hope I didn't come off as too feral. If you have a little extra time, be sure to take a moment to peruse his graphical musing on Moby Dick. I've never seen anything like it and I find it to be very compelling (even though I have never made it all the way through that book). I am fascinated by this work because I am envious of his use of abstract design. My work to date has been very literal. It is obvious that each of my prints is a place, but I would like it to also be a map of an idea. TBD on how I can manifest that.
Having driven the west coast of the US more times than I can count, and now having sailed it, my map of choice might be the "West Coast". I might also choose "The Volcanic Islands of Hawaii" as a souvenir for my time spent sailing through the Haiwaiian Islands.
Launched in January 2025, my shop focuses on maps for waterpeople. The first set of maps highlights ocean adventures to be had in coastal British Columbia. These are the maps I want around when I'm trying to explain to someone where I spent the summer, or which remote coastal community I just went to for work, or where I made landfall after 24 days at sea. They are the kind of maps that draw stories out of sailors and fisherman, or get some surfer frothing about some hard-to-get-to island that they swear has a perfect point because they saw a wave in some satelite imagery. I find the map of Britsh Columbia to be the most useful for me, but that is because my home range is the entire province. I would expect most people to be excited about the map of Vancouver Island because most people live in southern BC.