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Midnight Umbrella

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“We’re so glad you’re here.”

Located in Worcester County, MassachusettsFrom Worcester County, MA

Tangram States

A geometric map of the United States

Rolled Tangram States print with a colorful geometric United States map on a pale background.

GEOGRAPHY INTO GEOMETRY.

I can’t draw.

The original Tangram States poster! If I’m a one-hit wonder, this just may be my hit. This poster was brought to life through the generous backing of friends and complete strangers via a successful Kickstarter campaign.I’m ashamed to admit it, but I can’t draw—at least not in the typical pencil-on-paper fashion. As a fella who never had the raw, natural talent to draw freehand, utilizing pure geometric shapes to build an illustration for the first time was empowering. Finally, I could make images of my own construction, even if I had to do it in my own roundabout way. Tangram States got its start by taking the geographic outlines of each state’s border and distilling them into their basic geometric components.

Green pencil sketch labeled New Hampshire, with a tall shaded outline on pale paper.
Red pencil outline with small detached geometric pieces on pale paper.
Blue pencil sketch of a geometric Massachusetts outline, labeled Massachusetts.
Orange-brown geometric outline labeled “New York,” with a hatched upper section on textured cream paper.

Euclid, Elements I.14

“A figure is that which is contained by any boundary or boundaries.”

CROWDFUNDING ADVENTURE.

From screen to paper.

It’s one thing to see a design on screen, but there’s something eminently visceral about seeing ink on paper—especially at poster scale. I wanted to bring Tangram States to life, but lacked the scratch to make it happen.After some cursory research I simultaneously threw my hands up, as well as caution to the wind, and built, then launched, a Kickstarter project.265 kind souls rolled the dice on the project and helped reach our goal just over halfway through the campaign. Super grateful they made Tangram States a real thing—couldn’t have happened without their generous support.

Close-up of a Tangram States print, with states assembled from brightly colored geometric pieces.
Color-swatch cards arranged over broad cyan, magenta, yellow, and blue bars.
Orange-and-white cat beside a colorful map print and a roll of white paper on a wooden table.
Close-up view across a Tangram States print with colorful textured geometric shapes.
Tangram States United States map print displayed on crumpled brown packing paper against cyan.
Green scalloped badge reading Funded with Kickstarter, with a curved white arrow, on pale yellow.
Tangram States United States map print wrapped in clear protective plastic on a wooden floor.
Black line illustration of a large printing machine on a yellow background.
Open boxes filled with cardboard mailing tubes capped with bundled white packing material.
A group of tall cardboard mailing tubes with white caps and shipping labels standing on a wooden floor.
Tangram States print showing the United States as a patchwork of colorful geometric pieces, with Alaska and Hawaii below.