Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography

For Bangladeshi Independence Day, 2024, I decided to revisit Little Bangladesh with a new map to reflect its expanding boundaries and to represent the neighborhood with a more aesthetically deliberate map.

The Semi-Tropic Spiritualists were a group of mediums and clairvoyants who held midnight dances at their Semi-Tropic Park, in the Elysian Heights/Echo Park area between 1905 and 1910. https://ericbrightwell.com/2023/10/11/houses-of-the-hallows-the-semi-tropic-spiritualists-and-the-semi-tropic-park/

June 2023, I explored Torrance, made a map, and wrote about it here: https://ericbrightwell.com/2023/06/15/california-fools-gold-exploring-torrance/

An oil paint map of North Hollywood that I made for "California Fool's Gold" in 2014. https://ericbrightwell.com/2014/02/01/the-gateway-to-the-valley-exploring-north-hollywood/

A map that I did, with ink markers, of San Francisco for a couple of friends who are Frisco-Files.

A map that I did of South Los Angeles's Westside for "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/11/29/california-fools-gold-a-south-los-angeles-westside-primer/

An ink and watercolor map that I made of the Harbor District neighborhood of San Pedro for "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2018/01/12/california-fools-gold-exploring-san-pedro/

An ink and oil paint map of the Little Ethiopia neighborhood, in Midtown Los Angeles. I explored the enclave and made this map for "California Fool's Gold" in 2010. (https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/08/03/california-fools-gold-exploring-little-ethiopia-%E1%88%8A%E1%89%B5%E1%88%8D-%E1%8A%A2%E1%89%B5%E1%8B%AE%E1%8C%B5%E1%8B%AB/)

An ink and oil paint map of the Filipinotown neighborhood (officially known as "Historic Filipinotown") in Mideast Los Angeles (MELA) for "California Fool's Gold" in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/05/13/california-fools-gold-exploring-filipinotown/

I made this map as a thank you for a friend in a popular Glaswegian band... and to illustrate my account of visiting Glasgow in 2017.

In 2018, I visited Japan for the first time. I always like to make a map of where I'm visiting -- even though there are obviously plenty of maps -- in part because helps me learn the geography of a place. https://ericbrightwell.com/2019/01/22/where-fools-fear-to-tread-a-snapshot-of-japan/

An oil paint and ink map of the Montecito Heights neighborhood that I made in 2016 for "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2016/02/12/california-fools-gold-exploring-montecito-heights-the-wilderness-of-the-city/

An oil paint map of Miracle Mile that I did on commission. It was actually my first map pointed with oils -- in honor of the tar beneath the region.

An ink map that I did of Westwood for "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2018/04/21/california-fools-gold-exploring-westwood/

An ink map of Koreatown I made for "California Fool's Gold" in 2010. For Los Angeles's most densely-populated neighborhood, I decided to go more minimal in a nod to Korean graphic design. https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/05/17/california-fools-gold-exploring-koreatown-%EC%BD%94%EB%A6%AC%EC%95%84%ED%83%80%EC%9A%B4/

An ink and oil pain map I made of Yorba Linda for "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2016/07/07/california-fools-gold-exploring-yorba-linda-the-land-of-gracious-living/

I moved to Los Angeles in 1999. I couldn't find a map of all of the neighborhoods of the city. I set about making my own -- exploring the vast county on foot and mass transit. Along the way, I drew maps with ink and painted them in watercolors and oil paint -- or some combination (including correction fluid). As a lefty converted to a righty, my handwriting is terrible and my maps are sometimes hard to read when reproduced or reprinted -- and so I've made these clean, digital versions for people who prefer that sort of thing.

Watts is a neighborhood in South Los Angeles's Eastside. It's still best known for the Watts Towers (built 1921-1954 ) and the Watts Riots (1965). Lots has changed in the intervening half century, needless to say, and I explored and mapped in 2014 for my series, "California Fool's Gold" https://ericbrightwell.com/2014/02/14/more-than-just-riots-and-towers/

Compton is a city in the South Los Angeles region. It is the 7th oldest (by incorporation) and 16th most-populous in Los Angeles County. Future presidents George H.W. and George W. lived there in 1949 and '50. It is famous for the Compton Cowboys of Richland Farms and the Compton Cricket Club, among other things. I explored it and made this map in 2011 for my series, "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/02/23/california-fools-gold-exploring-compton-los-angeles-countys-hub-city/

Orange County is typically divided into just two regions, North and South counties. South County is largely composed of gated, master-planned communities and other red tile suburbs. I painted this map and wrote a primer for my series, California Fool's Gold, in 2013.

The Northeast Los Angeles region is one of Los Angeles's oldest, dating back to the annexation of Garvanza, Highland Park, and Sycamore Grove in the late 19th century. I wrote a primer about the region for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2011 and made this map a bit later. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/06/09/california-fools-gold-a-northeast-los-angeles-primer/

I explored and drew a map of Los Angeles County's second-largest city for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2007/11/03/montebello-montesmello-if-youre-nasty/

This is the second map I made of Atwater Village. The first sold before I explored the neighborhood for "California Fool's Gold" in 2014. https://ericbrightwell.com/2014/11/30/california-fools-gold-exploring-atwater-village/

Angeleno Heights (originally "Angeleño Heights") is a mostly-residential Victorian-era suburb in Mideast Los Angeles (MELA). It's most famous for its grand Victorian homes (which is why it sometimes plays San Francisco in films and television) but there are also charming Crafstmans and homes in later styles. I explored for "California Fool's Gold" in 2010. https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/12/16/california-fools-gold-exploring-angeleno-heights/

Arcadia is a suburb of the San Gabriel Valley which now has a population that is roughly two-thirds Asian-American (mostly Chinese and Taiwanese). It is thus often jokingly referred to as "Arcasia." I explored it in my series, "California Fool's Gold' in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/01/04/california-fools-gold-exploring-arcadia-the-san-gabriel-valleys-community-of-homes/

Downtown Los Angeles is a region of Central Los Angeles which is home to many small neighborhoods and districts. I explored and mapped it for my series, "California Fool's Gold," in 2011. https://ericbrightwell.com/2011/03/15/california-fools-gold-a-downtown-los-angeles-primer-2/

Echo Park is a neighborhood in Mideast Los Angeles (MELA) named after a park built around Echo Park Lake. I explored in 2010 for my series, "California Fool's Gold." https://ericbrightwell.com/2010/02/22/california-fools-gold-exploring-echo-park/

Dayton Heights is a small neighborhood in Los Angeles. I explored it for California Fool's Gold and made this map as part of the process -- as seen on TV! https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/11/03/california-fools-gold-exploring-dayton-heights/

The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Metro Los Angeles. It's a fascinating region and I made a new map of it for a post about 626 Day (26 June), also known as San Gabriel Valley Day. https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/06/17/happy-626-or-san-gabriel-valley-day/

Pioneertown began life as a livable Western film set in 1946. When Westerns fell from fashion, Pioneertown fell on hard times. However, after the old Cantina reopened as a roadhouse (now Pappy & Harriets), things began to turn around and today Pioneertown is home to the Pioneertown Hotel, Red Dog Saloon, and other businesses -- and about 420 residents. https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/06/08/california-fools-gold-exploring-pioneertown/

On Lunar New Year's Day of 2022, I visited the small Los Angeles neighborhood of Larchmont Village for my series, California Fool's Gold. https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/02/03/california-fools-gold-exploring-larchmont-village/

Whittier is a city in Southeast Los Angeles (County), separated from the San Gabriel Valley to the north by the Puente Hills and sharing a border with Orange County to the southeast. As of the 2020 Census, it had a population of 87,306, making it the 21st most populous city in Los Angeles County. It’s named after John Greenleaf Whittier, a Quaker, an abolitionist, and one of the so-called fireside poets. I explored it and drew this map for California Fool's Gold. https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/01/19/california-fools-gold-exploring-whittier/

My watercolor and oil paint map of the Hawaiʻian islands, with their indigenous names (sorry "Midway"!) From my series, "Where Fool's Fear to Tread." https://ericbrightwell.com/2021/06/19/where-fools-fear-to-tread-a-snapshot-of-hawai%ca%bbi-o%ca%bbahu-and-kaua%ca%bbi/

Yucca Corridor is a neighborhood in the Hollywood region of Los Angeles. In the 1980s and 1990s, it was notorious for its crime. Today it's calmed down somewhat. https://ericbrightwell.com/2009/06/25/california-fools-gold-exploring-yucca-corridor/

Santa Barbara is a resort town on California's Central Coast. I visited in 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, wrote about my visit for California Fool's Gold, and painted this map. https://ericbrightwell.com/2021/02/03/california-fools-gold-exploring-santa-barbara/

In 2019, Belle & Sebastian organized a Mediterranean cruise featuring them and a whole host of other bands, including Camera Obscura, Teenage Fanclub, Tracyanne & Danny, the Vaselines, and Yo La Tengo, Buzzcocks, Alvvays, Campfire Social, Django Django, Elisabeth Elektra, Hinds, Honeyblood, Japanese Breakfast, Kelly Lee Owens, Nilüfer Yanya, Wet Look, Whyte Horses, and Wojtek the Bear. It was my first cruise -- and although I had a great time, quite possibly my last~ https://ericbrightwell.com/2019/10/14/where-fools-fear-to-tread-cruising-the-mediterranean-aboard-the-boaty-weekender/