Gifts from the Sea

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“On a recent beach run, I was intrigued by what the sea brought to me, and I had to roll up these giant pieces of kelp. I brought them to my studio and kept them in tubs of water. Inspired by the beautiful ribbon like forms I tried to capture the life of these gorgeous algae. Their roots called hold fasts tether them to rocks along the jetties all along the coast. This kelp may have drifted a few miles or much more as we have endured a particularly windy summer. The longest piece of kelp I found was over 60”, each piece having its own patterns and colors some brown some yellow ocher. They grow naturally in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and all over the world forming kelp forests, home to all kinds of sea life. Locally kelp is farmed in Maine and Connecticut. In 3 to 4 years, they can grow to 16 feet in length.”