So what is the difference between being a pirate or a privateer? Well, if you are Jean Lafitte, the difference is merely in pronunciation. We say potAYto, he says potAHto. Let’s unpack this a bit as we explore the fascinating life of one of history’s most successful pirates. His story will definitely give you something […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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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