The call for maps for the 2017 GeoHipster calendar has closed and review is underway. I haven’t begun collating the responses yet, so I have no idea how it will turn out, but I can say that, for me, the process so far has been personally rewarding.
I was not involved in the making of the 2015 calendar. When it came time to considering doing one for 2016, I volunteered to coordinate the process; with no idea what to expect. We had quite a response and I was impressed with the quality of the work received. Because it was my first time through, I was pretty consumed by the process and probably didn’t get to give as much consideration to the art that was before me.
This year, I’m more comfortable with the process and have had more time to breathe. I have found myself unexpectedly moved by the response as well as the beauty and imagination of the maps we have gotten.
Regardless of tools or data used, there’s a hell of a lot of creativity in the GIS community. This comes as no real surprise, but it’s still moving to see so many creative ways to represent our world. This been an incredibly positive experience and I regret that our calendar only gives us twelve months to work with. Like last year, we’ll make sure that every map we received gets showcased on the site, even if it doesn’t make it into the calendar.
This has quietly become one of my favorite activities and I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product hanging on my wall in January. After the maps have been selected, those with actual design talent will take over to bring it home.
So, thanks to all who submitted maps. If they represent a sample of the talent in the geospatial world, we’re in really good shape.
