A Quarter Millennium of Liberty
The Spark Behind the Star-Spangled Banner Editions
A tribute from The Tartan Artisan honoring America’s 250th anniversary, inspired by a simple gift between Arbroath and the U.S. Consulate.
The Star-Spangled Banner Tartan Is Deeply Personal
—and more than just a design.
It's a personal connection to my hometown and the shared heritage between Scotland and America. Woven with rich geometry and thread, it honors the values of freedom, faith, and courage.
Created as a tribute to the flag that flew over Fort McHenry in 1814—the inspiration for the U.S. national anthem—it tells a story of enduring spirit and unity.
Every line, shade, and thread
is filled with meaning
THE TARTAN BECAME A SERIES OF TWO EDITIONS:
-
THE PAST EDITION
Echoing the worn, ember reds and smoky blues of the original flag, lovingly preserved by the Smithsonian.
- THE PRESENT EDITION
Bursting with vibrant colors that speak to America’s living, breathing spirit today.
The spark reignited
This project took time to find its moment. In July 2025, a simple gift for the U.S. Consulate in Edinburgh breathed new life into it.
Nicola Livingston from Friends of Arbroath Abbey had reached out to me after being invited to represent Arbroath at the America250 launch event in July 2025. She asked if I could contribute a piece of my work to present as a gift—a thoughtful gesture that bridges Arbroath’s heritage with the milestone of America’s 250 years of independence.
With just days to spare, I poured my heart into creating and signing a unique fine-art print—Star-Spangled Banner (Flag of 1814). Alongside it, I prepared a smaller framed giclée, beautifully finished in silver and black velvet, for Consul General Kathryn Porter’s desk. I literally rushed to the last minute to get both gifts to Nicola before she caught her train. The very next day, she presented them to Kathryn.
That moment reignited the fire. The warmth and gratitude reminded me this tartan’s story is very much alive—linking our two places with a shared story that continues to inspire.
The Star-Spangled Banner Fine-Art Editions were reborn—timed perfectly to honour America’s 250th, celebrating a unity that transcends borders and is intricately woven into every fiber of these designs.
"The story behind the tartan is truly fascinating. It was an absolute honour that you allowed Friends of Arbroath Abbey to present (on your behalf) a unique fine art print to the Consul General, Kathryn Porter, at a special invitation celebration of the launch of America 250.
She was thrilled to be presented with it and wowed that you created a small version she can enjoy. Representing Arbroath was wonderful and showcasing the talent and produce was a joy, but your unique gift to the Consulate will be a lasting memory of that day. We hope this is the beginning of our friendship with you
You are a gent!"
Nicola Livingston
FRIENDS OF ARBROATH ABBEY
Jul 19 2025
Photos above: with Nicola Livingston of the Friends of Arbroath Abbey—whose invitation to contribute to the U.S. Consulate event reignited the Star-Spangled Banner project.
U.S. Consulate General Edinburgh
3 Regent Terrace
Edinburgh EH7 5BW
Scotland
United Kingdom
Images (in order: panoramic façade, monochrome entrance view, and street-level detail) based on works by Kim Traynor ↗, SylviaStanley ↗, and Rosser1954 ↗ via Wikimedia Commons ↗.
Modified by Steven Patrick Sim / The Tartan Artisan®.
Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗.
A bridge between Arbroath and America
This story doesn’t begin in Baltimore, it begins where I was born and raised—Arbroath—in the shadow of the great Abbey that declared Scotland’s freedom.
There, in 1320, the Declaration of Arbroath was forged—a powerful cry for Scotland’s right to be free. It is said that document inspired the ideals that fueled America’s fight for independence.
In 2014, inspired by the passionate mood leading up to the Scottish independence referendum, I created the Declaration of Scottish Independence tartan. This design pays tribute to Scotland’s most treasured historical document, the Declaration of Arbroath of 1320—a powerful letter from Scottish Earls and Barons supporting King Robert the Bruce’s fight for independence. The tartan’s colors and pattern visually represent Scotland’s Royal Standard and the Saltire, embedding deeply symbolic numeracy and historical meaning.
Several years later, in 2020, I designed the Declaration of Arbroath 7th Centennial Anniversary tartan to mark 700 years since that historic letter was sent to Pope John XXII. This seven-color tartan uniquely portrays the document itself, the seals, signatories, and honors those who gave their lives for freedom. The numeracy of the two pivotal thread counts—1320 and 2020—spans seven centuries, weaving the past into the present.
Between these milestones, the seed of an idea was carefully growing—the inspiration to create a tartan that would connect the heritage and shared ideals of Scotland and America.
On 4th July 2021, I realized that vision with the Star-Spangled Banner tartan, designed to honor the historic American flag flown over Fort McHenry during the 1814 Battle of Baltimore. The tartan’s threads embody the stars and stripes, as well as the drama and resilience symbolized by the bombardment that inspired the U.S. national anthem. It visually links the past and present, with thread counts representing both the original 15 stars and stripes and today’s 50-star flag.
Though these tartans were created years apart, their stories are deeply connected—woven by a shared spirit of freedom and independence that crosses oceans and centuries. Each design tells a part of the story I hold close—a tribute that weaves together our shared heritage.
That message of freedom has come full circle—from the Abbey where Scotland’s independence was declared to the U.S. Consulate where the Star-Spangled Banner tartan now proudly hangs in tribute to shared ideals.
Two editions, one soul
This fine-art series tells one story from two moments in time.
The Past Edition
- Soft, dignified, and worn with history—reflecting the original 1814 flag safely preserved in the Smithsonian.
- A moment in time lovingly captured in thread and color.
The Present Edition
- Bright, bold, and alive—the spirit of today’s America.
- The living flag, the enduring anthem, the ever-renewing idea of freedom.
Available as past and present versions, each offered in framed and two unframed sizes, the six signed and numbered editions are printed on museum-grade archival paper through my trusted partner, theprintspace.
A total of 10,656 prints will be published—strictly across the six available editions—each edition limited to 1,776 copies, with every print honoring the year American independence was born.
A word on authenticity
Each print is individually numbered on the artwork and is accompanied by a matching Certificate of Authenticity, my signature, and a copy of the official tartan register certificate.
This work continues a tradition that began with my three-dimensional facsimiles of the Declaration of Arbroath and flows through designs like The Angels’ Share®, Earthrise, and North Sea Oil tartans—each crafted as a tribute to heritage, human spirit, and achievement.
Explore the Editions
Two nations, two flags, two moments—woven together by one unchanging idea... freedom.
Have a look here...
→ Read the Story Within the Threads
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