I invite you to step into a bridge between past and present with Archival Roots, which combines a hand-painted digital thimbleberry plant with a 1912 survey map of the Houghton waterfront. As a plant deeply native to our local landscape, the thimbleberry blooms right over the historic grid of Houghton's early 20th-century blueprint.

The underlying map, published by H.W. Fesing, is a reduced-scale (50%) print of an original 16 in. X 35 in. survey featuring the names of companies that once owned land just outside the municipal boundaries. You can find the map I used below as well as this link to Michiganology.com

 

By layering my digital illustration over this historical map, I wanted to show that technology can help us preserve, reimagine, and reconnect with our local history. Finding a balance between the natural world and technology should be our goal. Ultimately, I hope this piece reminds you that digital tools can be powerful agents for preserving culture, protecting endangered species, documenting plants facing extinction, and deepening our connection to the places we call home.