cARTography by Ed Fairburn

Of the many loves wonder |wander | women obsess over - pens and pencils, maps and travel, imagination and creativity - are sure to top our wonder |wander | world lists.

Anna Fisher ink/pencil, 23" x 23" approx. 

To experience them all in the imaginative cartographic illustrations of UK portrait artist Ed Fairburn are a heavenly delight! 

Paper maps are essential to his work as the geographical canvas for his detailed ink and pencil portraits. 

Planisphère Céleste - pencil on a celestial star chart.

In these intriguing illustrations and curious cartographies flights of fancy take form as images emerge among land lines and topographies.

Based in Wales, his recently created series for Denver's Mike Wright gallery expand and add depth to his work. 

The Anna Fisher piece was drawn in March, as a personal (never-to-be-released) project, but on her birthday [Aug 24] Fairburn shared it on his Facebook page. In honour of Anna Fisher, an American astronaut, who in 1984 became the first mother to travel into space. 

In Planisphère Céleste the chart is divided by circles radiating from their centres - the images are formed by pencilling concentric lines, in circling layers to enhance line and tone. Up close the smaller details blend with each labelled star shown on the map. 

Click on these images to take you to the artist's site and more detailed information for each piece.