Growing up in the South, George Hudson often visited the Smoky Mountains, where he developed a passion for hiking.

The English professor's passion has not ebbed.

In fact, it has dovetailed with his keen interest in the effect of landscape on literature and has been of great service as he incorporates walking and hiking excursions in the Colgate off-campus study programs he leads in London and Japan.

Maps can get you from point A to point B, and if you're a tourist in London, that's useful.

Twelve students taking part in the London Art and Art History Study Group last fall also learned that maps can serve as benchmarks of experience, providing graphical representations of intangible ideas.

The students shared their mapping projects and artwork they created overseas at a recent exhibition at Little Hall.