Gather ‘round the virtual campfire
Mapping USA is the annual virtual conference series hosted by OpenStreetMap US. The first event under this name occurred in late spring 2021 and was themed around a surfing road trip. Since the 2022 conference took place in the fall, the OSM US team decided to go with a cozy fall camping theme while still nodding toward the beach.
My logo meshes the natural and human landscape into the folds of a paper map. The consistent angles of the mountains, evergreens, cabin, tent, and campfire all work together to create the illusion of dimensionality while conveying a scene. The dotted line introduces a typical map element and hints at the growing OSM US Trails Stewardship Initiative.
I love a logo that, like a good map, tells a story (or invites the viewer to tell their own.) Is my campsite by a river or a lake? Maybe the coast? How far to visit my friend in the cabin? Could I hike there? What might I find along the way?
Mapping USA is all about sharing OpenStreetMap knowledge and connecting with the community. My logo invites people to gather around the digital campfire to teach, learn, and grow.
2024 version
Mapping USA 2024 took place in January. Since the 2022 logo proved popular, I simply updated the colors for a winter landscape. (No conference occurred in 2023.)
