Jeff Moskowitz uses Adobe Illustrator to digitally recreate a map from 1905. (Emily Files)
Cartographer Jeff Moskowitz is digitally recreating a historical map of Fort Seward from more than 100 years ago for the Fort Seward Sculpture Garden.
The Alaska Arts Confluence’s public art project involves 17 Haines artists. Their installations will be dispersed throughout the burnt-out Fort Seward barracks.
An over-the-shoulder view of the map Moskowitz is working on. (Emily Files)
“I’ve been working with historical maps and digitizing and creating new maps with that information,” Moskowitz said. “So that kind of set me up well for the Fort Seward Project.”
Moskowitz looked through maps in the Sheldon Museum’s archive and found a 1905 Quarter Master General’s map of the Fort.
“When I first looked through all the maps at the museum, they were very fragile and deteriorating. And I feel like by scanning them and having an image and preserving them, that gives them that much more life.”
Moskowitz is using Adobe Illustrator to create a digital recreation of the 1905 map.
“It’s super detailed, and that’s what exciting because when you work in such detail and then you pan away from it, you’re almost overwhelmed with information,” he said. “And it’s such a rich reference and guide towards the history of that specific area, but also putting yourself in place of, well I’m here now but it wasn’t always like this. It’s changed.”
Other artist profiles:
Gene Kennedy
Debi Knight Kennedy
Andrea Nelson
Donna Catotti
