Decoding Polaris is a printed work of an original piece using the cyanotype process and watercolor paper. It explores the terrestrial limitations of bondage and the celestial wayfinding knowledge of enslaved persons in the American south. I’ve used the constellation Ursa Minor as a design element in all of my isolated map making. The North Star also known as Polaris is located within Ursa Minor, it is the brightest star within that constellation. Polaris from a terrestrial vantage point was key in understanding North from South directionally, this cosmic knowledge led many enslaved people to freedom during this time. Decoding Polaris is a reimagining of a schematic and a celebration of human ingenuity.