Fishing tackle, ropes, buoys and plastics of all shapes and sizes…
These are items often found washed up on our shorelines – but before 
you throw them in the bin, think to yourself: “Could this become a work of art?”
Thousands of pieces (and about 300kg) of marine debris were given a second lease at life, at the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council’s (NACC) inaugural Marine Debris Art Workshop, recently conducted at the Geraldton Camp School across two “sold out” events.
The artwork created at the workshop will be exhibited at ACDC Gallery this week as part of Australia’s National Recycling Week, opening on Friday 11 November.
Workshop presenter and resident artist Rose Holdaway showed more than 30 community members how to transform marine debris collected from their own beach-cleaning efforts (and last month’s Big Beach Spring Clean-up), and transform them into treasure!
Workshop organiser, GIS and Sustainability Coordinator at NACC, Emma Jackson said:
“I wanted to show that picking-up rubbish could be a positive experience. By turning the idea of “picking-up rubbish” at the beach into a continual treasure hunt, where you are searching for interesting objects to make into artwork, makes it no longer something that you should do, but instead turns it into something that you want to do,” she said.
“Hopefully the more people recognise the impact and magnitude of marine debris, the more they will start to rethink their own waste footprint and start to challenge our industry and our society to do things differently.”
Lots of fun for everyone today at the #MarineDebris Art Workshop pic.twitter.com/ZdGH78MtFS
— NACC (@NACC_NRM) November 6, 2016
Having received fantastic feedback from all of the workshop’s participants, NACC looks forward to conducting another Marine Debris Art Workshop next year.
“Great energy, beautiful creations! Best take home message, recycle!!!”
“Freedom to create artwork that simultaneously benefits our environment.”
“Repurposing waste into something I am proud of.”
Did you know you can recycle in Geraldton? Find more information on the NARvis webpage.
This project is funded by the Waste Authority through the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Account and delivered in partnership with the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council, City of Greater Geraldton and Rip-It Security Shredding and Recyclers.
For more information, please contact Emma Jackson (e) emma.jackson@nacc.com.au or (p) 08 9938 0104.
