Beauty can reveal itself in the most unexpected ways.
This month I’m sharing a bit about an infamous seaweed that inspired me to create a new collection and a model shoot taken on a fun ocean dive.
Living on a small island, you start to notice a lot more of the little things, the subtle changes that take place at different times of the year. It’s not all clearly defined in sequence - winter, spring, summer, autumn transitions - but all the same, the changes from wet to dry season, windy to still, cool to hot, all bring with them something a little different.
One change that is very noticeable for everyone in Barbados is the sudden influx of Sargassum seaweed. Sargassum has become a hot topic of conversation in the Caribbean for the last ten years. While it provides a natural habitat for fish, shrimp, crabs, marine birds and sea turtles, a number of factors including climate change have led to huge volumes of Sargassum washing in every year and upsetting the delicate balance of our marine ecosystem.
The new challenges we now face have prompted research into ways we can utilise the Sargassum and address other environmental issues. Studies have been carried out to create a biofuel through the combination of Sargassum and waste water, it can become an effective fertiliser when mixed with soiled animal bedding and the Alginate in Sargassum can be used in cosmetics, textile applications, food additives and pharmaceuticals.
The Sargassum Collection
The first time I looked at Sargassum closely was while playing a game with my son in the sea. The seaweed was bobbing about, not too much of it then but just enough to catch our attention, and I was draping it on my wrists, my ears and neck as Finn, giggling, told me they were beautiful jewels. I would then feign disappointment as I realised he had palmed me off with mere seaweed and promptly throw them back to the ocean.
That's when I glanced down at the golden plant draped over my wrist, the stems and leaves all entwined together like filigree with golden beads dotted here and there, shimmering against the clear blue ocean backdrop and imagined it recreated in metal.
When I design I like to design with purpose. Whether that is designing for a specific occasion, to commemorate a milestone in someone's life, or to tell their story and my Sargassum Collection is no different. The Sargassum phenomenon is with us to stay and I wanted to understand that but also spotlight the plant for its beauty and as a protector of life when our world had a better balance.
The collection begins with a small range of ornamental, high quality hair accessories. Each one a different style and with multiple styling options depending on the occasion, hair style and hair type. Increasingly my designs have taken on a much more sculptural style. I like to think of my work as wearable art and I have approached this collection as an artist primarily, allowing the ideas to flow before addressing the design aspect and functionality of each piece.
I chose to use brass for the hair adornments, not only for its natural golden colour but as a more sustainable metal, something to take into consideration, particularly when creating larger scale pieces. It has been shaped and entwined to mimic the twists and turns of the Sargassum stems as they float and entangle in the ocean. The leaves are hammered and textured to create curves and facets to capture the light. The small berries or air sacs are formed through melting brass into beads.
Underwater photoshoot
My friend is a mermaid
It seemed only fitting to go back to the scene of inspiration when thinking about getting some unique shots of the Sargassum collection. After all, I knew the golden tones of the hair pieces would look great against the blue/greens of the Caribbean sea and so I teamed up with my friend Miriam, a certified free-diver and avid ocean photographer and went for some underwater fun in the bay.
We spent a good few hours trying out different angles and poses, getting distracted by turtles, batfish and lobster, and diving to different depths to capture the perfect shots in the afternoon sun. Miriam was a natural model, so relaxed and at ease in the water.
I love how you never know what you are going to get with this type of shoot. There is no time to stop and analyse each photo. Instead you just have to be in the moment and let the light and the movement of the water create the magic for you.
