Flourish Banners

a neutral colored banner with a scalloped lower edge, with two ornamental designs, one in orange and one in blue, overprinted on each other.

a neutral colored banner with a onion-shaped bottom. it has a floral ornamental design printed in blue-green, with two ligher shades printed in diagonal offset layers underneath.

a neutral colored banner with the bottom shaped like a shield. it has a swirling, symmetrical, calligraphic flourish printed in red, orange, blue, and lime green. each color is slightly offset from one another.

a neutral colored banner whose bottom half is shaped like a shield. it is printed with a floral pattern in light lime green and light green. the pattern is flipped over and positioned so the overall shape is like a letter S.

a neutral colored banner with a scalloped bottom. the design printed on the banner is a single, swirling, symmetrical, calligraphic flourish, in orange ombre fading into light blue.

a nuetral colored banner with beveled corners on the bottom. it is overprinted with a pink swirling calligraphic flourish and a blue floral ornamental design.

a rectangular, neutral colored banner. it is overprinted with the swirling calligraphic design, in different orientations and shades of blue, to make a symmetrical 8-pointed shape.

a neutral-colored banner with a slight grey weave, the bottom is sewn in an onion shape. it is over printed with a balloon-shaped calligraphic flourish, in light pink and pink. the designs are rotated 180 degrees and offset to make a taller shape

a neutral-colored banner with the bottom cut like a triangle. it is printed with a single floral design in blue.

a neutral-colored banner with the bottom cut like a triangle. it is overprinted with a floral design in blue and pink. the designs are offset horizontally.

a neutral-colored banner with the bottom sewn in an onion shape. it is printed with a cloud-shaped calligraphic flourish in pink, and a swirling, lacy calligraphic flourish in orange and lime green.

a neutral-colored banner with the bottom half sewn in an onion shape. it is overprinted with a cloud-like calligraphic flourish in hot pink and pink. the design is offset slightly as if to create a drop shadow effect.

Woodcut-printed banners with typographic flourishes, in reference to the highly individualized pathways to psychological flourishing.

I researched 19th-century printed ephemera at the Tides Institute & Museum of Art in Eastport, Maine. Then I enlarged, carved and printed four typographic ornaments on fabric using an etching press to create this ongoing edition varie.

In Flourish, Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman suggests replacing the pursuit of subjective well-being (happiness) with the promotion of human flourishing. For more on the foundations of flourishing, see Positive Signs: United Theories.

Caption: Christine Wong Yap, Flourish Banners, 2013, woodcut prints on fabric, ~19x24 in / 48 x 61 cm each, edition varie. Supported by the STUDIOWORKS/Tides Institute & Museum of Art, a private not-for-profit organization.

Thanks to Kristin, Hugh, Winnie, Heather, Anna, Jon, and the Seeleys for a fantastic residency experience.

Source: Seligman, Martin E. P. Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. New York: Simon & Schuster (2011)