Turning beach plastic into art

If you have been reading Rye News recently you will be aware that changes are afoot at Rye Creative Centre. The old Freda Gardham School, just across the river from Rye town centre, is under threat of demolition. As new flood defences slowly edge towards completion the land is earmarked for development. Flood risk has permitted the school building to sit quietly for a number of years, creating a welcoming, supportive environment for artists of many disciplines. But not for much longer.

The 30 or so creatives who currently work there are feeling unsettled and anxious about their future. As a photographer and book artist I feel extremely lucky to be part of this community of talented individuals known as New Road Artists. We are worried about where we will go, and how we can stick together to maintain this valuable resource for Rye.

My work as a photographer and book artist began when Rye Creative Centre first opened 15 years ago. At that time I was working as a GP and had recently recovered from breast cancer. I turned to photography as a means to express my love for nature and my relief at being alive. Based in Camber, my photographic journey began with very conventional landscape photographs. But over the years I have developed a personal style based on layering, abstraction and a concern for the local environment.

Seeing the large amounts of litter and fishing debris on the beach at Camber over the years caused me increasing distress. I felt helpless in the face of the never ending tide of litter on the beach, spending many hours dragging bags of discarded bottles and plastic off the sand. In an effort to do something positive I joined Strandliners, who campaign for cleaner rivers and seas locally. This became a way to understand more about beach pollution, and to take part in plastic surveys on the shore alongside likeminded individuals. I learned how to distinguish different types of plastic pollution including nurdles from shipping spills, and biobeads from sewage overflows onto the shore, all of which are plentiful at Camber Sands.

Picking up litter, removing and collecting objects from the shore wasn’t enough. I felt compelled to start photographing what I found, and began work on a three year book project Shore, which contains my own words together with abstract images about the beach detritus. The project was recently selected for an exhibition To Shine a Light- Who Dares to Dream at the Royal Photographic Society in Bristol. Five female photographers from around the world were chosen to present projects that shine a light on issues that matter deeply to them. I felt heard and validated; less concerned that I was becoming known as “the mad litter lady”. Art has the power to raise awareness and stimulate change for the good. It is also therapeutic for the creator! Feeling able to create work with a local message has allowed me to channel my environmental distress in a positive way.

None of this would have been possible without the ability to fill my studio space with discarded buckets and spades, fishing rope, nylon netting, and other objects that I collected on my weekly beach walks. My studio is a place to be messy. Dead seaweed and old rope doesn’t smell that great! Nor would I have progressed without the encouragement of my artist colleagues along the way. Working alone I know that I would have failed. Most artists thrive in a supportive environment. Being an artist can be a lonely occupation. Self doubt creeps in uninvited. The studio is a place for conversations that spark ideas.

It is the community aspect of Rye Creative Centre that is so important for Rye as a whole. Not just for the artists, but for those coming to learn, sing, act, draw, sculpt, paint, dance and more. Our annual exhibitions and open studios are visited by many.

If you would like to see what goes on at Rye Creative Centre for yourself, you have the perfect opportunity this weekend. We are opening up for our annual Christmas market on November 23 and 24. This is a fabulous opportunity to buy really personal hand crafted gifts directly from local artists. Join us for a winter wonderland of festive delights, from handcrafted arts, crafts and baked goods, to tasty mince pies, sausage rolls and hot chocolates.

I will be there with my new book Shore and much more. But mostly I will be there because I value our community and the opportunity to share my passions with local people.

As Pablo Picasso said “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

We all need art. We all need each other.

I am optimistic for a positive outcome for New Road Artists at Rye Creative Centre In the face of uncertainty.

Image Credits: Caroline Fraser .