The Edinburgh-based artist and maker creates art, textiles and products using seaweed as her primary material
Some of my earliest and happiest memories are of family holidays on the beaches of North Cornwall. Running barefoot across the sand and wading through the waves gave me a sense of freedom and nurtured my natural curiosity. I was, and still am, captivated by the shifting patterns in the sand as the tide recedes, revealing breathtaking ripples and forms where water meets land. These moments of calm and wonder have stayed with me, sparking a lifelong fascination with the natural world. That connection now lies at the heart of my practice as a textile artist.
Based in Edinburgh, I work with seaweed not only as inspiration but also as material. Its diverse textures, forms and colours are endlessly inspiring, and its ecological significance makes it a powerful medium to explore. Over time, I’ve developed ways to transform seaweed into sequins, pigments and beads, and I also source a fibre and yarn made from seaweed itself. I love uncovering beauty in a resource that is so often overlooked. My early fascination with rippling sand patterns also flows into my work, appearing as recurring motifs across my textiles.
The piece pictured here is my most recent work, created for the Hoxton hotel in Edinburgh. This commission was particularly exciting as it gave me the opportunity to experiment more boldly with colour. Until now, much of my practice has centred on one or two tones, apart from my Colours of Seaweed collection, which showcases just nine hues in bead form, drawn from approximately 650 species found in the UK, echoing the calm palette of the shoreline. With this piece, however, I embraced richer, more contrasting shades to fulfil the client’s brief. These colours were achieved using natural dyes, which the seaweed yarn absorbed beautifully. This piece feels like a turning point.
It has encouraged me to think differently about colour and to embrace it more fully in my practice. Looking ahead, I’m excited to carry this exploration into my next collection, which I will begin after maternity leave. I would like to create more vibrant and dynamic pieces, yet still rooted in sustainability and slow making. For me, this work represents both where I have come from and where I am heading.
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