Giant Fish and Sea Life made from Ocean Debris are Part of an Exhibit, Museum & Community Art Workshop Opening in Oregon on Saturday, March 23

BANDON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--An unusual art exhibit of sea life made from ocean debris created by Washed Ashore will officially open at the Harbortown Events Center in Bandon, Oregon with a Grand Opening Reception on Saturday March 23 at 5:00pm.

“We are planning on using as much debris as we can get to create more messages that can save the sea.”

The educational exhibit with the theme ‘Art to Save The Sea’ has over 15 art pieces, some up to 15 feet long, and 11 feet tall, depicting sea life and environments threatened by ocean pollution. Two of the sculptures, a sea star and a whale bones rib cage, will be played as musical instruments during the Grand Opening.

The exhibit also includes the nation’s only known marine debris museum with interesting artifacts collected from ocean shores including debris from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The unique ocean debris art has been created by local volunteers in community workshops lead by long-time educator and artist Angela Haseltine Pozzi, Washed Ashore’s Executive Director.

The Grand Opening reception will include a speech by Bill Bradbury, former Oregon Secretary of State and Washed Ashore board member. Also speaking will be Bandon’s Mayor Mary Schamehorn. There will also be complimentary refreshments, food and live music by local band Done Deal.

Angela Haseltine Pozzi will speak briefly about The Washed Ashore Project and how local volunteers have created the internationally famous touring exhibit which has previously appeared at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA, The Living Coast Discovery Center in Chula Vista, CA and the Newport Visual Arts Center in Oregon. Pozzi will also lead tours of the exhibit and workshop and will discuss the process of how the sculptures are made.

“These giant sea animals of debris are meant to be highly visual reminders of the tragedy of plastic pollution in our oceans and its effect on our sea life. Community-built sculptures like these use the arts as a powerful language to drive home the message that we all need to take action,” expressed Pozzi.

“We invite Coos county citizens and visitors to help us build the next sculptures including a Sea Horses, Penguins, a Shark and an Octopus. We encourage volunteers to collect debris from beaches and drop off their bags anytime at Art 101, seven miles south of town, and join us for the Oregon’s Spring Beach Clean-up day on March 30,” added Pozzi. “We are planning on using as much debris as we can get to create more messages that can save the sea.”

In the last two-and-a-half years Washed Ashore has collected over eight tons of debris from local beaches and created over 22 sculptures that have toured to eight locations in Oregon and California.

“With Tsunami Debris approaching, we encourage anyone who cares about our beaches and oceans to support our work. Tax-deductible donations of any amount can help us buy steel and wire supplies, buy fuel for truckloads of debris to be hauled off beaches, and keep our free workshops going,” said Pozzi.

Washed Ashore is actively involved in planning for the Japanese Tsunami Debris clean-up. It is a founding member of the Oregon Marine Debris Team (OMDT) and works closely with non-profit partners Oregon Shores/Coast Watch, SOLVE, Surfrider Oregon Chapter and OSU’s Oregon Sea Grant to address JTMD (Japanese Tsunami Marine Debris). The OMDT also works with the Oregon Tsunami Debris Task Force, NOAA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, State Parks, and the Office of Emergency Management.

In addition to the Grand Opening and reception Washed Ashore invites everyone to take part in their volunteer family workshops Bandon’s Harbortown Events Center from 2-5pm Tuesday – Saturday and on Tuesday and Thursdays nights from 6 – 9 pm, plus Saturdays from 2-5pm at Art101, seven miles south of Bandon on Highway 101- Look for the giant Bird!

About Washed Ashore:

The Washed Ashore Project is sponsored by Artula Institute for Arts and Environmental Education, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded in 2010. Washed Ashore is an environmental education project that uses art to raise awareness to the tragedy of plastic pollution in our oceans through community involvement. It has taken hundreds of volunteers and thousands of pounds of marine debris to create the monumental sculptures that now make up the Washed Ashore: plastics, sea life & art exhibit. In addition to the art workshops, Angela and her staff are currently developing Activity/Action Books and a K-12 curriculum for youth education programs.

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