A few summers ago I met an artist in Maine who makes beautiful framed artwork from algae. Using algae as a medium was news to me, so she explained where she finds her different types of algae and the best times of day to collect it. Algae come in various shades of greens, red and browns, plus a variety of textures (crinkly or flat), which makes for an intriguing design that people wouldn’t even guess is algae.

Here is a picture of some algae I found washed up on a beach after a stormy night on the Maine coast that shows some of the different types.

Washed Up Seaweed on the Coast of Maine
Washed Up Seaweed on the Coast of Maine

I recently found out the using algae is not a new concept. What’s old is new again!

During the 1800s there was a craze for arranging algae designs into works of art. Seaweed hunting was a popular pastime in Britain, especially for women because it was an aspect of nature history that was deemed social acceptable (hunting animals and plant collecting were not). Here are some particularly nice designs that were made by Eliza A. Jordson.

Algae Designs from the 1800s
Victorian Algae Artwork

Next time you go to the beach, go on a seaweed hunt and arrange it on a piece of paper. It makes a stunning journal entry or scrapbook addition next to your pictures.

Are you interested in natural art? Check out these other posts!

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