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 […]
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Sea Dragon Secrets on Any Antique Map
Last week we talked a bit about dragons and maps. We discussed their fantastical depiction, their evolution through time and what they might have been based on. However, there are other reasons for their existence, that unless you knew better, would remain secret. Most people though it was simply due to the fact that people […]
Here Be Dragons?
Let’s talk about dragons for a moment. Take a look at any antique map from the 15th or 16th century, then walk forward through time to present day. You can literally see the world take shape, through cartography, as new explorations and discoveries were made. Along with those findings were close encounters of fantastical, never-before-seen […]
Great River Arts Has a Secret
So if you snoop around Great River Arts long enough, you are bound to come across a section on our website called “The Vault.” A look at the maps in this section can be a bit puzzling. There are no custom maps. There are no hand painted maps. There is not an antique map reproduction […]
Give the Gift of the Old West
Whether you live in a place like Kalispell, Montana, or a metropolis like New York City, there is something about the Old West that inspires us. It’s always been that way right? Perhaps it is the rugged nature of the wilderness that is somehow beautiful in its own way. Maybe it is the history of […]
3 Reasons Lisa Middleton’s Hand Painted Historical Maps are Better Than Antique Maps
If you need a reason to purchase a hand-painted historic map from Great River Arts, let me give you three. In fact, in this post I will go one better than that. Let me give give you three reasons why our maps are better than antique maps as choices for Christmas gifts, or as a […]
5 People That Would Love a Hand Painted Map Gift
You can smell cinnamon in the aisles at your favorite department store. Green and red are beginning to pop up inconspicuously. Christmas has a way of sneaking up on you. before you know it, you will go into marathon gift buying mode, scrambling purchase something meaningful for the people you love. Well, this year, why […]
5 Places in Your Home That Need a Custom Historical Map
Today we are going to take a look at the best locations in your home for you to display your custom historical map. Some of these might surprise you. But I promise there is a method to the madness so hang in there. If you follow the basic premise that historical maps are meant to […]
Every Home Needs a Map, Here’s Why
If you have a house, it needs a map. Correction, whether you rent or own, your home needs a map. They are aesthetically pleasing, and always evoke a sense of nostalgia. Yet, if you have kids, a good historical map is indispensable. Let’s face it, our school system is not what it used to be. […]
Prester John
What do you do during the Holy Crusade when your kingdom is threatened by potential Muslim invasion? You call upon the help of a mythical Christian priest/king of course. That was the case in the 1100s. When relations got tense, and the Turks threatened to invade the Crusader Kingdoms under the leadership of Imad ad-din […]
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