Time and Tide by Portia Knight
Time and Tide: Exquisite Seaweed Artwork
Foraged from passing storms and ebbing tides.
Portia's vibrant exhibition, Time and Tide, is a captivating celebration of the Scottish coast's enigmatic seaweed. Through stunning pressings and innovative found-material works, she invites us to explore the beauty and complexity of this often-overlooked marine treasure.
Inspired by her home on the Northeast coast of Scotland and Victorian seaweed pressing techniques, Portia has developed a deep connection to the diverse textures, colours, and forms of seaweed. Challenging the common perception of seaweed as merely a slimy tangle, best avoided, she highlights its environmental significance and its potential as a sustainable resource.
Portia's artistic process aligns with both historical shore hunters and contemporary scientists seeking seaweed-based solutions to climate change. By utilizing seaweed as a found object in her work, she creates a tangible link between art, nature, and sustainability.
Pressed Seaweed art by Portia Knight
From prints to experimental sculptures, Portia's practice is rooted in a deep understanding of seaweed's properties and behaviours.
“Rather than considering pressed seaweed as the final product, more recently I have approached seaweed as a found object to be utilised in other media. Whether I’m making printed works on paper, or tentative forays into sculpture, my evolving practice is always based on engagement with the material.”
Portia foraging seaweed on the Scottish coast
Wild materials are seasonal, and even in Scotland, suitable specimens are hard won. But they convey a vital and intimate connection to place and process. Her dedication to collecting wild seaweed and observing the seasonal changes reflects a profound connection to the Scottish landscape and the rhythms of nature.
Straggly Bush Weed from Crovie Scotland
Time and Time by Portia Knight – Tuesday to Saturday – 9 to 5 - 26th October to 16th November.