I was contacted by a close friend to work on an intriguing piece. The challenge? Transform a historic Durham map from the Internet and numerous vintage downtown Durham images into something new. No pressure! The project's biggest hurdle was scaling the map to fit my vision. Ultimately, I created a triptych measuring roughly 10 feet wide by 6 feet tall—quite an endeavor!

To achieve a sepia tone, I created a tobacco "tea" as a nod to Durham's history. After testing various papers, I found one that worked perfectly with the stain. I treated nine sheets per panel with six applications of tobacco stain to achieve the right color. I then scanned the stained papers, created digital collages for the map backgrounds, and processed them with color halftones as a tribute to my client, a Mapquest founder. Vintage images were digitally collaged throughout for context and the files were printed on canvas.

With the panels printed, I began adding multiple layers of varnish while incorporating crumbled tobacco leaves for texture. I then experimented with actual tobacco tea, letting it pool and dry naturally on the surface. For the finishing touches, I filled street spaces with acrylic paint, applied a flood matte varnish to tone everything down, and carefully cut out each street from masking tape covering the panels. Finally, I added gloss varnish to the streets, creating a radiant effect from the center panel.