Jill Mottram is an artist who creates beautiful prints from pressings of washed-up seaweed found along the Devon shoreline.
Jill has always had a deep connection to the sea and when she had the opportunity to move to the Devon coast with her young family, she jumped at the chance!
‘I never feel more at ease than when standing on a windswept beach looking out to sea’.
Her inspiration for ‘The Seaweed Studio’ started a few years ago whilst on a local beach clean in the South Hams.
‘As I picked up small pieces of plastic from the masses of washed-up seaweed, I started to marvel at just how beautiful and diverse the seaweed really is. I took some specimens home and the kids, and I tried hand-pressing them. The results were stunning and soon our family home turned into a seaweed pressing factory!‘
Jill spends many hours walking the family dog along the South West Coast Path and can often be seen wandering the shoreline searching for specimens.
‘The section of the Coast Path near my home from Start Point to Salcombe is my favourite stomping ground with stunning offshore reefs and a wonderful combination of pebble and sandy beaches. As you walk along the coast path the seaweed species change along with the wild landscape.’
‘Seaweed is often overlooked and unappreciated for its vital role in marine ecosystems and carbon capture. It is so much more than a slimy encounter in the sea’! Jill hopes that her work will help increase awareness and highlight its importance in our natural world.
‘Seaweed varies immensely in its colour, texture and form and I have tried to reflect this in my prints. I have created bold, vibrant prints, posters and cards from the original pressings, carefully maintaining the natural beauty of the seaweed. All my products are made in the UK, are biodegradable and produced with carbon-balanced printing.’
‘The Coast Path provides constant inspiration to me, and I feel so fortunate to have such regular access to it. Next time you go to the beach or visit the Coast Path, look at the seaweed washed up. Lift up the heavier seaweed to see what is hiding underneath. You might find a treasure, your gift from the sea!’.
To see more of Jill’s work, visit her website www.theseaweedstudio.co.uk
Or visit Etsy https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/theseaweedstudiouk//
Facebook and Instagram @theseaweedstudio
The South West Coast Path 