about the NIAD map

Water in Richmond –
the NIAD Map

mixed media montage on canvas
monotype, acrylic, ink and gold leaf
96” x 84”
2002

The wall hanging is now in the collection of the City of Richmond and is displayed in the Civic Center at Richmond Public Library

Water in Richmond detais

Christopher Castle
with artists from
The National Institute of Art and Diasabilities, Richmond, California.

Gregory Scott
Lisa Blevens
Susan Wise
Angela Rogers
Gina Namkung
Tamara Lynn Simon
Alice Wong
Martha Lane
Cathy Davis
Tammy Harper

Community mapping project
In 2000 British-born environmental artist Christopher Castle began work on his community art project Mapping the Soul of the City. With the help of a grant from the Open Circle Foundation, Castle devised a project that would encourage community groups, schools and individuals to make maps that express their view of their locale. Collaborating with several resident organizations such as the Friends of Baxter Creek, the Watershed Project, Richmond Art Center, Richmond High School, Urban Creeks Council, East Richmond Residents Association and NIAD, the project has produced many beautiful art works including the NIAD map.

The focus of the project was the endangered waterways of Richmond. Local groups were asked to participate in art projects and tell their stories concerning the presence of water in their local environment. Many beautiful pictorial maps were created.

Making the map
The NIAD Map involved the artists of NIAD first in making multi-colored monotype prints from a greatly enlarged map of the Richmond peninsular. The map was divided into sections, the prints made by the 10 artists, and the results reassembled by Christopher Castle onto a canvas support. Substantial additional work was added in acrylic paint to help unify the full map. A gold leaf border was then added. The collaboration was facilitated by NIAD instructor, artist Carol Stewart.

A poem
The next phase had the artists sitting with the map and brainstorming their observations about water in Richmond. The observations were notated then assembled as a poem by the NIAD resident writer, Mimi Albert. Quotations from the poem were added to the map evoking the mystery surrounding most participants’ knowledge of the waterways of Richmond. See the poem here

Since the NIAD Map was made Christopher Castle has continued Mapping the Soul of the City in several Bay Area locations (Sausalito, Martinez, Berkeley and Richmond). and is available for commissions.

see the poem here

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