Seaweed & Cyanotypes - 4 Session Workshop

In this exciting 4-session course, artist Mary Jameson, owner of Saltwater Studio Newport Art & Design, will introduce seaweed as a medium in art making! In this eco-based workshop participants will be combining the processes of Seaweed Pressing & Cyanotypes to create unique pieces of art on paper.

Class Dates:

October 16, 10AM – 3PM

October 23, 10AM - 3PM

October 30, 10AM - 3PM

November 6, 10AM - 3PM

(Includes 45 minute lunch break. Bring your own lunch or purchase nearby.)

Seaweed Pressings made in the first class will be worked on throughout the next classes to create layered designs. The seaweed pressing kits, which are like flower presses but adapted for working with this wet medium, are reusable and constructed mostly from recycled materials. You will learn about the history of seaweed as an art form and its ties to the New England coast.

Cyanotype is a technique that involves laying objects on paper coated with a light sensitive emulsion and exposing it to UV light. The objects block the rays from exposure and when the paper is developed in a water bath, leave white impressions while the rest of the paper turns shades of blue.

We will be using dried seaweed and other materials, mostly sourced from nature to create our prints. Participants will learn techniques in combining the two processes to create beautiful, fluid and dimensional works on paper. Plus, participants will get to incorporate a variety of unique and beautiful papers from Paper Connection's collection.

We will be making multiple prints on different types and sizes of paper. All materials included.

6 student minimum.

About the Instructor

Mary Chatowsky Jameson has been using seaweed in her art practice since 2010. Her art studio, Saltwater Studio Newport, is located 1 mile from Newport's famous Easton's Beach.

After attending an exhibit on Victorian Era scrapbooks, produced by the Newport Historical Society, she became intriqued with the process of collaging seaweed, as seen throughout the pages of the journals that were in the exhibit.

In addition to seaweed pressing, Mary also creates work using cyanotype and eco printing processes, often combining these techniques to explore the symbiotic relationships between nature and our human experience. Mary's work has been described as a bridge for art and science. It also raises awareness for issues of ocean health and climate change.

Mary had her first solo museum show Marine Botanicals at the Newport Art Museum in 2014. Last year her work was included in the award-winning exhibit A Singularly Marine and Fabulous Produce: The Cultures of Seaweed at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, June 15 – December 3, 2023.

In her free time, Mary spends time with her family, travels, and enjoys nature and the outdoors.

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