Petaluma cartographer charts his own course

For the millennial wondering how people ever found their way around town without Google maps, a visit to Petaluma-based Griffin Map Design may be in order. The storefront of owner Scott Lowrie’s Etsy page, Griffin Map Design is the labor of love for a Petaluman with a passion for all things cartographical.

Lowrie, who also works full time providing geographical information services (GIS) and collaborates with the Petaluma Downtown Association and greater Sonoma County, operates his 405 East D St. store on Fridays and Saturdays.

“I’d love to keep the store open all day, but this isn’t the operation that puts food on my table,” Lowrie said.

Instead, the shop, open since April 2014, provides a front where the Sonoma State University graduate’s curiosity and creativity can flourish while he showcases some of his services and goods, including custom and antique maps, clothing and artistically rendered geographical images.

“It’s one thing to work for GIS and make maps, but sometimes I see an area I’m really interested in drawing, so Griffin is a good place for me to explore the more creative side of my work,” said Lowrie, who has worked on projects including mapping bike routes in Petaluma, Sonoma County viticulture maps and Federal Emergency Management Emergency Planning projects.

The shop not only features products Lowrie makes for his Etsy page, but also showcases art pieces made by his friends and colleagues, including the current “Petaluma Heritage” exhibition, featuring Ricky Watts, a Petaluma artist who has painted murals in the city’s downtown, as well as other local creators such as Diana Majumdar, Eli Slaydon, Jonny Hirschmugl and Maxfield Bala. The pieces rotate every month, and Lowrie tries to organize the gallery into themes, with the current exhibit closing with a reception from 6-10 p.m. April 30.

With a full time job and a store to run in between, Lowrie, 34, also finds time to raise his 2-year-old son.

“I’ve never not had a busy day,” he said, “But I enjoy my work, love Griffin Map Design and spend time with my family. It’s a busy but happy place I’m in.”

Because the store is located in an area that doesn’t generate a lot of foot traffic, Lowrie spends his free time promoting himself and his work with the community, and he’ll have a booth at the upcoming Butter and Egg Days parade.

“I set up a stand and people interested in my work can see what I can do,” he said.

Lowrie also created Mappy Hour, a public event hosted at Griffin, where GIS and cartography professionals and enthusiasts get together and share ideas.

“It’s a bunch of map enthusiasts, but everyone can learn something from the Mappy Hours,” Lowrie said. “Just be prepared to learn a lot about cartography and other map-related information. It’s a really fun time.”

In the future, Lowrie wants to augment Griffin Map Design with some other interests, including creating state-shaped bars of soap with scents that complement the character of the location. Lowrie added that because Griffin’s budget is tight, he’ll have to test the waters by crowdfunding enough for a small amount of bars, and sell them at his store before committing to mass production.

Griffin Map Designs has already generated interest overseas, with Lowrie fulfilling commissions from parts of Europe and Australia.

“It can be difficult to find a high-quality map these days,” he said. “It’s a labor of love for me, and seeing that people from around the world are interested in my work, it brings me a lot of pride and happiness.”

For more information about artwork or upcoming exhibits, visit griffinmapdesign.com.