Jena Goldstein

Sponsored by Stegman & Company

My idea for a banner is to use the image of the Maryland State Flag but to alter it slightly to incorporate the tree theme. My thought was that Baltimore is very proud of it’s heritage/roots as well as being a prestigious city in Maryland so what a better way to express that than through the flag. After doing some research I discovered the flag represents the shield in the coat of arms of the Calvert family who were the proprietors of Maryland. The gold and black are symbolic for the paternal side of George Calvert’s family (the Calvert side) while the red and white are symbolic for the maternal side (the Crosslands). I decided to alter the maternal side by changing the crosses to simplified tree shapes. I tried to keep the size and orientation relatively similar to the crosses. I choose to alter the “maternal” part of the flag since trees are part of mother earth and are the source of life. Trees provide everything on earth with oxygen so they can live and breathe. Without trees (as without our mothers) we would be nothing. I think using a familiar symbol as the state flag will get people’s attention and then challenge them to interpret how it is connect to the Urban Forest Project. It is very bold and simple design while still making a statement to its audience.

Location: Area E | Charles Village