Jamie Marie Waelchli’s Thought Maps

Have you ever tried to map your thoughts in a cohesive manner? What would you find? How long would it take?

Portland-based artist Jamie Marie Waelchli decided to delve into her own mind between 2007 and 2011 (a duration of which no doubt resulted in a particularly fascinating set of results) to create thought maps. The geometric and stylistic appeal of these thought maps might be enough for some, but it’s the devil in the details that is really special, here. This show will be running through February 20th at False Front Studio, concluding with a Research Club-affiliated brunch, and you definitely need to see it in person to have even the slightest clue about what Waelchli is thinking.

Here’s what Waelchli had to say about this series:

When I work on a map, I’m getting a visual read of my life and mind. I think that for everyone it can be difficult to acknowledge our fears, disappointments, and aspirations. A lot of these might be painful or complicated, or even hidden to us because they’re happening at the subconscious level. The act of mapping out these thoughts encourages self-understanding and acceptance. It also fosters solutions to the things in one’s life that they wish to change for the better, and to help in planning for the future. So the act of creating the thought maps has both taught me about myself, and helped me to improve many aspects of my life.

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