Botanical Seaweed and Gyotaku Art, inspired by foraged seaweed and coastal finds from UK shores, celebrates these ‘Ocean flowers’—a term I fondly use. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they also play a crucial role in the environment. With sustainability in mind, I only gather seaweed cast aside by the ocean.
Seaweed pressing, a Victorian-era hobby for ladies, including Queen Victoria herself, has influenced my creation of Botanical Seaweed Art. My method involves washing, drying, pressing by hand, and artistically placing the seaweed on watercolour paper, rendering each artwork unique.
Gyotaku, meaning ‘fish rubbing’ in Japanese, is a traditional method of nature printing that dates back to the mid-1800s. It began as a way for Japanese fishermen to record their catches and evolved into an art form. The Direct, Indirect, and Transfer methods exist, with the Direct method remaining truest to the original fishermen’s technique.
In my Gyotaku Art, I adhere to the Direct method, which includes cleaning, preparing, and pinning fish onto a foam board. The fish are then painted with Sumi ink or non-toxic paints, covered with Washi paper, and gently rubbed. The paper, once lifted, reveals a mirror image of the fish. These prints are often embellished with watercolours, oil pastels, or coloured inks, adding an artistic flair. A traditional Japanese Hanko stamp signs off the completed piece.
To minimize waste, non-toxic inks and paints are used.
