The Art Of Seaweed
A Two Part Live Online Workshop With Molly MacLeod
On Tuesday 26th May & 9th June 4-6pm GMT 2026
Join live or watch the recordings (Recordings will be available for three months until the 9th September 2026)
“Call us not weeds, we are flowers of the sea….our exquisite, fragile and delicate forms are nursed by the ocean and rocked by the storms” E.L. Aveline 1840
We will explore the history of seaweed pressing in both a cultural and scientific context alongside a practical demonstration of the process. Discover the rich history of seaweed gathering and learn what creative possibilities seaweed holds. Create beautiful art from nature using techniques to preserve and press seaweed, a Victorian practice that perfectly captures the underwater beauty of seaweed. Immerse yourself in the meditative, mindful process that seaweed pressing brings into your life.
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Session One: 23rd May 2026 4-6pm BST 2026
Dive into the world of seaweed and its myriad of practical and creative uses.
The cultural and scientific relevance of seaweed pressing and herbarium collections.
Explore modern seaweed applications, growing methods and environmental impact.
Artists and designers who use seaweed as a material within their creative practice.
The cultural and social significance of seaweed gathering within coastal communities throughout history.
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Session Two: 9th June 2026 4-6pm BST
A practical online demonstration of how to preserve and press seaweed specimens.
Learn how and where to ethically forage for different types of seaweed.
How to confidently identify seaweed specimens using reference books and how to go about choosing the right materials for archival standard pieces.
Advice on building your own press at home, alongside tips and troubleshooting for achieving the best results from different types of seaweed specimens.
About Molly Macleod
Molly Macleod is a interdisciplinary artist based in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Taking inspiration from ecology and biology, collaborating on multi sensory projects in collaboration with scientists. Molly aims to reveal the unseen, hidden networks of nature to create art/science experiences that invite the audience to consider their impact on the environment and the future of our landscapes, questioning what place we hold as humans in the intricate ecological structures that surround us.
Her ongoing seaweed archiving project Drifft aims to document the changing seasons of Pembrokeshire seaweed habitat. Developing seaweed inspired creative workshops as a way to connect local communities with the fascinating coastal ecosystems and the environmental problems they face in the future.
Molly is graduate from MA Art & Science at Central Saint Martins and has a BA Hons in Interactive Arts. She has exhibited and run engagement projects in many galleries such as TATE Modern, Hypha Studios, Lethaby Gallery & Fabrica Gallery and in far flung remote locations such as; the depths of the Amazon Rainforest, in the shadow of a volcano on the Azorean Island of Pico and in the wilderness of the Pyrenean mountain range.
She has been artist in residence at The Pontio Centre, Labverde, Boia Festival, Roundabout LX and Olho De Boi Studios. She was the winner of the Art For Environment Residency award from UAL and was shortlisted for the MullenLowe NOVA Award and named the winner of the Digital Arts category of the Global Design Graduate Showcase 2021 from Artsthread & Gucci.