Marine Debris Art

Solid form oil spills (in the form of plastic rope) is left to pollute oceans and coastlines. This is a rigid, heavy-duty plastic that will never biodegrade or decompose. As such, it presents an environmental problem. Once it's collected -- if it's even collected--what do we do with it? The problem of how to "render" marine debris plastic is a problem that will only increase with time.

In 2024, I began working exclusively with rope harvested from coastlines across British Columbia, Canada. This marine plastic has been salvaged by Ocean Legacy, a non-profit organization providing an emergency response to plastic pollution in the Pacific Ocean.

Shop Available Work

Why Ocean Debris?

Working to recycle marine plastics into art made sense as an evolution. I've always been inspired by the sea, and that inspiration has shown up in the subject matter of my fibre art for the past eight years. It's important to me to use my platform to raise awareness about climate crisis and the social injustices that are perpetuated by it. I believe that artists should be able to answer sobering questions about the materials we use in our work. We have a part to play in building a different world: a world that exposes the blind spots of late capitalism.

Marine plastic has a history

The process

I begin with rope that's anywhere from half of an inch to 3 inches in diameter. It's quite a rugged fibre that does not like to be untwisted and unfurled. When handling marine fibre, I'm always reminded that it has history, postural memory, and an unconscious. This rope has learned how to be, and it's my job to help it unlearn its tragic occupation.

Marine plastic has memory

The challenge

Once larger strands of rope have been unravelled and broken down, they are more pliable for me to knot, coil, stitch, and manipulate. The durability of this plastic is both blessing and curse. It means that it will hold form when left outside (regardless of the elements). But it also means that it will resist most forms of alteration.

Marine plastic is unforgiving yet rewarding

The promise

By purchasing my work, you're playing a small but mighty part in ocean cleanup efforts. You're encouraging me to keep going with this vexing material. By purchasing the pieces I'm making with salvaged marine plastic, you're inviting conversations into your home: in so doing, you're playing an active part in telling the stories we urgently need to keep telling.