Sea Sculptures for Environmental Activism By Rebecca Shapiro

Preface: My name is Rebecca Shapiro. This work is titled “Sea Sculptures for Environmental Activism.” I will be using a CC BY license for this project.

Angela Hasteline Pozzi founded The Washed Ashore Project in 2010. Prior to starting this foundation, she worked as an artist and educator. The organization uses plastic found in the ocean to make magnificent sea life sculptures. They travel around the world with these sculptures to educate the general public about the impact of plastic pollution on the ocean. Volunteers collect and donate the plastic that will be turned into art. The organization’s motto is using art to save the sea, and over the past 11 years, they have exceeded expectations by making 86 different sculptures!

This portfolio project addresses the themes of ocean conservation and environmental awareness. Ocean conservation is the protection of marine species and ecosystems in oceans and seas around the world. This term applies to the pictures since The Washed Ashore Project creates these works of art using plastics found in and around the ocean. In addition to ocean conservation, environmental awareness is also a theme of this portfolio. Environmental awareness is understanding the environment, the impacts of human behaviors on it, and the importance of its protection. This is relevant because they use the sculptures to spread messages about the current state of the ocean, how to take care of it, and the creatures that call it their home. The Washed Ashore Project understands that the ocean is in trouble. By creating art out of plastic, the washed Ashore project turns lemons into lemonade.

Angela Pozzi, the creator of The Washed Ashore Project, fell in love with art at a young age, which led her to a career in arts education. When visiting a favorite childhood spot, a beach in Bandon, Oregon, she was shocked to find it covered in excessive amounts of plastic. Her dismay led to the idea of The Washed Ashore Project. Turning plastic into sea animals showcases who is most impacted by ocean pollution. Since then, the organization has grown substantially. Today they have made several massive sea sculptures, 10,000 volunteers, and  traveled throughout the United States with their exhibits.

The Washed Ashore Project and its sculptures are essential to understanding today’s society because plastic pollution affects the ocean and the organisms that call it home. People who leave plastic on the beach either do not realize or care about the harm it could cause for the sea and its Animals. The Washed Ashore Project is killing two birds with one stone by removing the ocean’s plastic debris and turning it into a medium that will educate people about the ocean’s wonders and how we can help save it. Since I am a Marine Biology major, it kills me to think about all the sea animals that die from getting caught in plastic each day. The Washed Ashore project is making art to help reduce plastic pollution, which is fantastic.