Beneath the Waves of Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea

It takes plenty of moving parts to make an exhibit happen! Rachel Mueller, PR & Content Coordinator, sat down with Brad Parks, Conservation/Education Director, to chat about all the behind-the-scenes aspects of Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, presented by Dar Stump & Clyde Reed.

RM: For our new readers. What is The Washed Ashore Project?

BP: The Washed Ashore Project or Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea is a nonprofit based in southern Oregon on the coast that’s all about ocean conservation through art.

We’re turning 15 years old this year and we’re a unique organization that repurposes marine debris, largely plastic pollution, into these giant, whimsical animal advocates or sculptures. They tour the country, and through our conservation art exhibits, engage folks all over the place, from coastal communities to inland locations, helping everybody see that this is a phenomenal problem.

It’s amazing that we’ve been able to engage and come back to places like Green Bay because the response was so positive.

RM: What inspired the creation of Washed Ashore? How has it evolved over the past 15 years?

BP: Our founder, Angela Hazeltine Pozzi, was an elementary school art teacher who, through her own personal careers and artistry, always used found pieces. So, it may have been things from the thrift store, but over time, living on the coast, seeing plastic coming up on the beach, she transitioned her art supplies to this weird new thing of found plastic pollution.

Over time, the work grew. Her role no longer was just fun artist. She had to take on a lot of other stuff and she wanted to go back to being an artist. Three years ago, she left Washed Ashore to work with her daughter.

Now we’re moving from a founder period into our mission-based period. Angela set the tone for our art, but now we’re really trying to also go into the other parts of our mission. How do we educate? Really inspire? We’re trying to measure our impact differently. We’re trying to look at how can we have a bigger footprint because we’ve created over 100 sculptures.

For example, right now in Galveston, TX, we’re working with a community organization there and a local artist who we’ve trained in Oregon as part of our 15th anniversary celebration. Their community group is collecting plastic from the shore, and they’re working together to make a sculpture from their own trash in conjunction with Washed Ashore.

So that kind of movement is the direction we’re exploring because there are artists everywhere. We inherited this really unique way that’s evolved through Angela’s original inspiration. This could be something that we could take to communities who are asking for this type of thing, not only here in the U.S. but in Mexico, Canada, and other countries around the world. So that’s really sort of this next phase or one example of how we take what we’ve been doing well and grow it, expand it, and make it more collaborative in engaging the communities around the type of art they want to create versus just always bringing our style of art to the community.

RM: How do you select locations for the exhibit?

BP: : Most of the time the locations select us. We are fortunate to have places like Green Bay Botanical
Garden that invite us to come back. Yet a lot of our work, our awareness is through word of mouth. People have heard about us or seen a sculpture somewhere like at the Smithsonian, the Oregon Zoo, or the Tennessee Aquarium where we were a few years ago.

We do have a responsibility too. How do we select organizations? What are our expectations? Because in this day and age there is greenwashing where a less sustainable organization may want to wrap themselves in an organization like Washed Ashore, to appear as if they’re really helping the environment when they’re not.

Working with the Garden, we’ve seen what you’re already doing. You’re composting. You’re offering water bottle refill stations. You’ve used sustainable practices across the board, but you’re interested in evolving and changing too – not just wanting to attract new guests. All of that helps us know that you’re doing good for your community and makes us want to collaborate and partner.

RM: What can guests of the Garden expect with the exhibit this summer?

BP: A fan favorite from the previous show, Stanley the Sturgeon will be back, but also the rest of the animal advocates. A majority of the sculptures are new, so people who loved the exhibit last time should definitely come back.

One of the things that I really think people can look forward to is the experience. Last time, it was on the heels of COVID, and we still had a lot of weirdness. We weren’t able to do as many cool programs and activities. And so, the various teams at the Garden are collaborating, looking at really creative things to do in conjunction with the exhibit and in the community.

RM: The Garden commissioned a sculpture when the exhibit was here for the first time in 2021? Where else has Stanley the Sturgeon traveled in the meantime?

BP: So, Stanley went from Kelly Clarkson fame to Green Bay. Right now, he’s being viewed in Galveston, TX, and he’s actually at the Pleasure Pier, which is this restaurant and amusement park venue along the seawall on the Galveston beach.

When I first met Stanley, he was at John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, MI. From there, he traveled to South Coast Botanical Garden, back to Oregon, to the Lincoln Cultural Center, and then lots of time on the coast of Galveston.

This is going to be his chance to come back home.

RM: Can you describe the process behind creating these spectacular sculptures? How do the artists transform plastic into art?

BP: I’m going to start with a story, because stories help us learn. In fact, I’ll talk about a sturgeon!

We want to create a sturgeon to help spark people’s interest and awareness of not only that creature, but the connections to freshwater systems – lakes, rivers, and watersheds that lead out to the ocean. Then. I may say I want to create a Roseate Spoonbill. This is an awesome coastal bird that’s pink, and they have these amazing bills that are for sifting in the mud like a Sturgeon’s snout, actually.

There’s not a lot of pink plastic and pink plastic fades in the sun really quickly. The artist will tell me, “We can’t make a six-foot-tall roseate spoonbill of your dreams because we just don’t have that much pink plastic, and it has to be inside.” The scope and scale of each piece gets evaluated at that time. Whether it’s Washed Ashore or someone commissioning it, there’s a story usually that we’re trying to tell.

Then, the artist and myself select some key images of the creature, and we share it with our 2D artist, Vinnie, who’s the only person on our staff who does these amazing sketches.

From there, that sketch goes to a lead artist, and our Executive Director and Artistic Operations Director work together to determine who’s going to take this sculpture. The Lead Artist starts putting dimensions to it and determines how to build the internal support frame, which is welded stainless steel. We’ve learned over time the need to engineer these sculptures. Octavia the Giant Red Pacific Octopus was recently retired because she was over 10 years old and the frame was made from chicken wire – which drooped and lost shape due to the weight of the plastic.

After the frame is built, the artist designs the panels and kebabs with plastic debris which are a foundational part of the sculpture, along with old torn up racecar tires. All of these materials are applied, screwed to, or wired to the stainless-steel frame. If you’re like me and you’ve gotten a screw in your tire, you know that’s a really strong connection! It binds everything that the guest sees to the frame inside.

RM: How long does it typically take to create a sculpture?

BP: I would say three to six months. It’s a long process! In fact, we’re in the middle of creating a new 15th anniversary sculpture right now that’s going to debut this summer. We’re also creating a Northern Leopard Frog for a show in Canada starting in June.

It also really depends on the artist schedule. Do we have all the plastic? Do we have enough volunteers? Are we getting their pieces contributed or is a staff member doing that? But it all kind of comes together that way.

RM: As these sculptures are going out and coming back, how do you keep the longevity of the sculptures high? Do you replace certain parts?

BP: Definitely. Stanley’s been down in Galveston on a pier on the ocean for several months now.

The Artistic Operations Director and I were in Texas in February to assess him and figure out what we need. Are we going to bring materials from Oregon and fix him during his travels to Green Bay or does he need to come back to Oregon?

Harsh environments can degrade the sculpture’s appearance. Transportation can cause cracks and other broken pieces. Public curiosity can cause some wear too. We encourage people to touch them, but the plastic becomes brittle over time. We have to be mindful of that timeline and build that into our schedule.

Sometimes we just carry a suitcase just full of plastic. And drills!

RM: How does Washed Ashore source materials? How often is debris from the beach and Pacific Ocean collected?

BP: Oregon’s coast is really rugged with a large forest. It’s spectacular, but it’s also all public, so it really is a treasure for Oregonians and people that travel from all over to come see it. This means that there are a lot of nonprofits in the state that focus on conservation and cleanup.

Washed Ashore doesn’t have to figure out how to do volunteer cleanups on the beach since we can collaborate with some amazing partners like Surf Riders, SOLVE Oregon, and other federal and state agencies. There are also individuals that have been inspired and find drop-off locations in the community. It’s important for us to have materials on the outside of sculptures that everyone will recognize, and these volunteers are a key part of the process and help protect this amazing coast.

RM: What are the most surprising, unique or even shocking items Washed Ashore has found and used in its art so far?

BP: There was a rocking horse that was part of our Octavia the Octopus sculpture that made me think “how would that end up in the ocean?” It’s this special toy from childhood, and it’s not something you would usually throw away. There’s also an inflatable mattress that’s part of the sea turtle that’s at the Smithsonian Institution’s Natural History Museum in D.C.

It’s hard to believe some of what we see, but natural disasters can also pull debris into the ocean. The tsunami that hit Japan in 2011 caused materials to show up on our coast in the months after. It’s evidence of natural disasters and the ocean currents and how we are all connected.

RM: How are new marine sculptures added to the more than 100 works of art in the collection? Who decides on the creatures and the fun names?

BP: A meaningful name can help tell a story. While the names don’t always have some sort of deep interpretive meaning, we try and look at what name can connect people with this creature. We also give the public a chance to name a few animal advocates in a way to engage them in learning more about the creatures.

One of my favorite examples is the Tiger Tail Seahorse that debuted at the Loretto Gardens in Omaha in 2023. They did a naming contest and a little girl on a field trip with her school entered the name Dandelion which won. In Tucson, people researched and learned about jellyfish, and ended up naming a sculpture Stinger.

RM: What challenges show up in the transporting and installing of sculptures?

BP: Cold and snow. We do shows all year long, and we’ve had sculptures delayed and stuck in transport because of snowstorms.

Excessive heat. Loading sculptures onto trucks at 106° in Tucson is an example of something that I’d rather not do ever, ever again.

Rain and mud. Installing sculptures at the Botanic Garden in Los Angeles was rough. They were having atmospheric rivers (lots of moisture) and it was so muddy. It was such a disaster, unloading them off the back of the truck while being soaked.

RM: What are some challenges your organization has faced in raising awareness about plastic pollution?

BP: We’re small. We have an amazing team, and a good reputation that a lot of people know us. But we are a handful of people.

We’re also facing the volume of a garbage truck full of plastic every minute entering the oceans right now. The problem itself is overwhelming.

We’re up against a global product and profit driven machine right now since that’s the way the system is set up. Packaging is the way you make money. It’s on the larger public to then figure out how to deal with the plastic trash that’s left over.

We’re faced with a lot of challenges, but it’s not Washed Ashore alone. It takes a grassroots effort. It takes collaborating with organizations like the Garden and others, looking to protect the oceans together.

RM: How has Stanley helped Washed Ashore support messaging around protecting the Great Lakes and other freshwater sources?

BP: Freshwater sturgeons are one of the oldest types of fish that have lived on the Earth that are still existing, yet many populations are endangered due to human activity. These freshwater fish, and the other animal advocates we have, like Rosa the Bald Eagle or Giacometti the River Otter, are helping us show folks that actually we need to think about the inland rivers and lakes.

They’re helping us get people in Green Bay to think about the Great Lakes, to think about the rivers. Because you’re part of a network within the Mississippi River basin of 33 states that all feed down to the Gulf of Mexico. Plastics and microplastics in these bodies of water travel all the way out into the ocean!

RM: Out of the 9 sculptures coming to the Garden, is there one that has a special meaning for you?

BP: My connection to Washed Ashore was at the Denver Zoo, where I hosted a show of 19 sculptures in 2016. We had the American Sea Star, which was also at the Garden in 2021. It was the only animal advocate that you couldn’t find in the wild. This creature was made for the Texas State Fair in his red, white, and blue to help think about pollution around 4th of July.

While that was a really awesome message, our team decided to give it a refresh and make it look like an actual sea star you find on the Oregon coast.

When you see this sea star, Clementine, on the Mabel Thome patio, you’ll see its transition to a beautiful Ochre Sea Star. They can be purple, like the name implies, or orange! Her tentacles are now on a rock, and you’ll also see other sea marine invertebrates around her.

RM: What is one thing you’d like Garden guests to walk away with or decide to do after seeing this exhibit in person?

BP: Well, I came up with a few things!

Every community is different. Find out what works best to deal with plastic pollution where you live. Is there a recycling program you can start contributing to?

Find one or two single-use plastic items you can replace with reusable options. The easiest are a refillable water bottle and a stainless-steel or glass straw.

Get involved and use your voice. If you have the capacity, join established conservation programs or organizations to find like-minded people.

Look for cleanup events in your area like the spring cleanup on May 3 that the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is leading!

See Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea from May 2 through September 2 at Green Bay Botanical Garden!