Golden Kelp 1

Through this kelp project, I explored kelp as both guardian and healer of our coastlines. This painting was inspired by footage from the Stronger Shores research project, where sugar kelp was cultivated under laboratory conditions and set in motion in a wave machine designed to mirror the rhythms of the sea. Watching its fronds sway in controlled currents revealed patterns both scientific and deeply poetic.
Watercolour became the natural medium to evoke the fluidity and translucence of the marine environment. Threads of gold move through the composition as a metaphor for kelp’s immense yet often unseen value — its capacity to absorb pollutants, neutralise harmful chemicals, and strengthen coastal resilience.