Today, September 17, 2024 is Constitution Day in the United States. The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787 by founding members of the United States including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. Among the many purposes of the Constitution is the recognition that all who are born in the United States or through naturalization are citizens (source).
Just ten years after its signing, engineers and designers built the first naval ships in the north end of Boston under the direction of President George Washington. Included in this group was the USS Constitution, now moored in Boston Harbor. Rated to carry 44 guns, the wooden-hulled Constitution is square-rigged — three masts with horizontal yards on each mast to carry square sails — and a frigate by class — a square-rigged warship with one covered gun deck.
Built of the best materials available in the 1790s, principle designer Joshua Humphreys anticipated that the six frigates would outgun enemy warships of equal or lesser armament and out-sail enemy vessels, including escaping, if necessary. (source).
Although the designers of the ship did not refer to their materials as sustainable, these early citizens built a frigate that has withstood the test of time, and is still an active ship in the United States Navy. Dubbed Old Ironside for its ability to withstand canon balls, as evidenced during the War of 1812 when it withstood canon fire from British forces (source).
The most exciting example of sustainability for me are the ropes used to moor the ship. Made of abaca fiber, these ropes have kept Old Ironside safe in the harbor since her inception. Abaca is the fiber I use to create my nature-inspired paintings and sculptures.
This versatile fiber is grown in the Philippines, along the coast of New Orleans, and in other sub-tropical climates. The United Nations has named abaca a future fiber due to its inherent strength, sustainability, and climate friendly material. Abaca grows in murky soil, which is why it is being planted along the southern coast of the United States in hopes it will limit the impact of erosion caused by hurricanes and other climate related natural disasters.
Car manufacturers use it as automobile filament in place of synthetic fibers, and it is a key ingredient in manufacturing PPE.
It is also used to make wallpaper, hand-crafted baskets, books, tea bags, and clothing. Many developing economies have benefited from growing abaca, using it make paper products or exporting it worldwide.
For me, abaca’s silky texture and ability to hold pigment is what makes it an attractive alternative to commercial art materials. The texture and colors I am able to get with abaca mimic nature in all her forms, adding authenticity to my artwork. And of course, the use of sustainable materials is vital for me as an artist inspired by nature. It is not enough to celebrate nature in my work, it is imperative that I protect nature with the materials at my disposal.
Here’s to the writers of the US Constitution and the value they placed on citizenry. Here’s to the designers of Old Ironside for using sustainable materials in her creation. And here’s to the artists, designers, and architects who are committed to using sustainable materials in their work, just like the good people did back in 1797 in a shipyard in Boston.
