Smartie Lids On The Beach

Michelle, Smartie lids on the Beach will be exhibiting with a collective of seven artists at The Eco Park Porthtowan.

I am a Cornish beach cleaner and since the storms of 2014 I have been creating conversation starting art from the plastic I find on the strandlines of my local beaches.

I am hopelessly addicted to beach-combing and I am passionate about wildlife. From this came a desire to take the plastic I find and create unique art that will become a talking point in people’s homes and continues to raise awareness of the problem of plastic in our oceans.

My ranges include colour wheels, kingfishers, sea birds and seedheads all created from washed up plastic and lost fishing rope. Each piece of marine debris is transformed into a unique creation which has its own story.

I have also begun to weave tiny intricate baskets using an ancient method from fishing rope and over 100 of these will be on display too.

Each piece of plastic removed from the beach is one less threat to our precious marine life.

I hope my work will inspire you and future generations to take better care of our waste and our beaches.

I will be exhibiting for Open Studios 2025 with a collective of artists together bringing you paintings, ceramics, jewellery, recycled art, woodcarving and weaving at the amazing Mount Pleasant Eco Park, Porthtowan.