Teaching with Trash: Washed Ashore Is a Must-See Exhibit

More than 315 billion pounds of plastic are estimated to be in the ocean today. Artist Angela Haseltine Pozzi is determined to turn that dire truth into something beautiful and thought-provoking.

Haseltine Pozzi is the founder and director of Washed Ashore, a non-profit community art project where she, her staff, and thousands of volunteers have salvaged more than 38,000 pounds of marine debris. Over 95% of that trash is petroleum-based. They’ve been able to reuse 90% of the trash to build the 70 sculptures in their traveling exhibit.

Eleven of the stunning sculptures are on display at the zoo in Lazy Turtle’s hometown of Naples, Florida, through April 21, 2019. In conjunction with the exhibit, the Naples Zoo has hosted educational programs about reducing plastic waste to protect the environment. Naples Zoo president and CEO Jack Mulvena said, “While elaborate and captivating, these sculptures are a powerful reminder of human impacts and our personal responsibility to help preserve the biodiversity of our planet.”

Haseltine Pozzi was already an established artist, working with materials repurposed from thrift stores, when personal tragedy altered her direction. After the unexpected death of her husband, she looked to the healing power of the sea. But what she found was a lot of marine debris destroying the Oregon beaches and marine life she loved. She created Washed Ashore as a way to raise awareness about the state of the oceans and inspire a change in consumers’ plastic-heavy habits.

She and her crew regularly clean beaches near Bandon, Oregon. Their January cleanup yielded over 500 pounds of trash, which was cleaned and used for inspiration. Haseltine Pozzi studies marine life so she can recognize animals in the junk. “I try to get in the head of the animal, if that’s possible,” she said in a 2016 video about her artistic process. “I need to feel like I’m going to be their voice. I need to understand them and think about them. I want to honor the science aspect as much as possible.”