'State sovereignty, national union'

January 7, 4:20 PMDC Budget Travel ExaminerKatie Howell

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Emily Wick's "The Fifty United States and Their Mottos" (Image: Twoeyeballs.com)

What traveler doesn’t love maps and their detailed documentation of exciting new places to learn about and explore? Archaeologist-cum-artist Emily Wick has created these fabulous linoleum block prints of the 50 states and their mottos – most translated from the Latin (Virginia: “Thus always to tyrants” from “Sic semper tyrannis” and Mississippi: “By valor and arms” from “Virtute et armis”). Many of the states’ mottos are inspiring: “To be rather than to seem” (North Carolina). Others are thought-provoking: “By and by” (Washington). Some are just plain confusing, like Maryland’s “Manly deeds, womanly words.” (I looked it up. Turns out, that’s the motto that was on Lord Balitmore’s seal. The state’s archivist has since tweaked the interpretation from the original to be less discriminatory: “Strong deeds, gentle words.”) Nonetheless, the prints and map offer an interesting and poignant look into the character of each state. Wick’s Web gallery has links to her store where you can buy block-mounted prints and T-shirts of each of the states as well as a print of the entire map.

If only there were one for the District: “Justice to all.”