“Toxic Cocktail “.

The installation is made up of tideline bottles collected from various beaches in West Cumbria in July 2016. I was horrified at the sobering statistic that eight million tonnes of plastic waste is deposited into the oceans every year as well as attendant chemicals and toxins that accompany the plastic bottles. I highlighted the effects and consequences of the chemicals by enlarging and painting the warning signs found in tiny detail printed on the bottles. I used acrylic paint and marker pens to deliberately highlight and thus reinforce the dangers to maritime life posed by the different chemicals in the various bottles.The bottles were then positioned on a beach groyne and photographed whilst interested passers by stopped to have a look and reflect on the artwork. I was interested to show the artwork to the general public for responses and intend to exhibit future work in similar off site/pop alternative venues in the future. 

“Toxic Tale”.

“Toxic Tale ” is a continuation of a series of interventions created in response to my inquiry into issues that deal with maritime pollution. I picked up a large wooven plastic sheet from a beach and embossed a warning sign from a bleach bottle. The sheet was wrapped around a beach groyne at St Bees in Cumbria and was intended to highlight the environmental consequences of widespread use of chlorine found in bleach cleaning products. I deliberately enlarged the image of the warning sign logo to raise awareness to beach visitors as most warning signs on bleach products are tiny and illegible .The artwork was sited against a beautiful natural backdrop so as to highlight the intended message. 

“Seagull Food Chain “.

“Seagull Food Chain ” was created on a beach groin at St Bees beach in July 2015.I created a seagull outline adhering beachcombed fragments of discarded plastic onto the wooden surface. The intention was to highlight the issue of plastic debris getting into the maritime food chain with future disastrous consequences for life on earth. Most seabirds have plastic in their gut which leads to poisoning and starvation as a result of eight million tons of plastic being dumped into the sea every year.Passing onlookers were attracted to the vivid colours and after photographing the artwork, I collected up the plastic. I view each mini litter pick as an integral part of the creative process and recycle the debris to create future issue based artworks.