urban environment

My primary source of research for 'maps' has been for me one of many books,  called 'You Are Here', by Katherine Harman, this has really tied in with my original concept of  'belonging' and 'Identity', and coincidentally this book is  described as a 'series of personal geographies'. I am looking  at lots of maps,  [I would'nt have done so  previously, and ironically I have absolutely no sense of direction ! so this has evolved as a very personal journey]  I now see that they are actually beautiful  other than what I would only have ever thought of them as a purely  functional  source of geographical  information,  contemporary and historically. I needed my theme of ' maps'  to become more focussed and less abstract so my next step was to map out my journey home using photography etc to do so. I looked at many books to inspire me and the most recent of these is 'Sources Of inspiration' by the Ceramisist Carolyn Genders. I particularly liked the work of Laurence McGowan and his decorative motifs that are often reflective of nature. He  uses ' the  symbol of a flower - familiar but infinitely more personal ',  and this concept really appeals to me. I am now following through my project with reference to, or in  deference of,  nature in all it's glory  and I am using flowers fruit and foliage from my immediate ' suburban environment'  to inspire me.