Lisa Middleton knows a thing or two about western maps. Her company, Great River Arts, specializes in producing custom maps. Since its inception, she has created hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces for clients scattered across the globe. Her exclusive client list grows each year, because of the quality of her work. That quality has not gone unnoticed. Recently, she was endorsed by renowned watercolor artist Bev Doolittle who had this to say…

“Art just gets better when it can connect on many levels: Artistically,intellectually, historically (in your case), and narratively (if it needs it), etc. You’ve blended-in the old with new technology, a hard nut to crack these days.”

In addition, her work has been featured and exhibited at major industry shows like such as the Great Western Living and Design Conference, the Western Living and Design Conference, and the Bellevue Museum Exhibition. In addition, she completed a Northwest tour this past summer that included Jackson Hole, Bozeman, Seattle, Indian Wells, Carefree, Beaver Creek and other various other venues as well.

In addition, she has established relationships with well known western map dealers, and an extensive western map collection. This, coupled with her online marketing efforts, has resulted in a dramatic increase in product demand for the hand painted historical maps made by Great River Arts.

Not to mention, there has been an increase in the popularity of old western maps too. This is not solely due to the inherent value an antique map brings. It is a part, true, but not the whole. The other reason has to do with the aesthetic beauty found in the Old West. A beauty that can sometimes only be conveyed by an exquisite western map.

Homes decorated with an old west design scheme celebrate the culture and tradition through visual stimulus more so than anything else. Whereas other schemes may be more relaxed and subtle, a western scheme is bold. Chairs may be upholstered in cow hide patterns, massive tin stars the size of Texas itself hang in foyers or living rooms, and Native American patterns are enlarged and repeated on throw pillows and blankets, All of these work together to bring the warm color palette of the old west to life, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere.

Old western maps from Great River Arts fit right in with this design scheme. The can be enlarged and produced in sepia tones to create a stunning backdrop for a very large wall. Hand painted and framed, they are right at home hanging above a fireplace mantle or on the walls of a secluded study. Complete the look with dramatic lighting to evoke a sense of place and purpose.

custom maps can be enlarged to cover an wall and make a grand statement.

All maps produced by Lisa and her team undergo a rigorous multi-step process utilizing state of the art equipment. All final products are painstakingly recreated based on the original antique map. This allows her to create a one-of-a-kind piece for each client that is unique and specific to them. This is why her exclusive list continues to grow, and why you should consider your next design element to be a custom map purchase from Great River Arts.