World of seaweed comes to light

Also featured are stories of indigenous peoples’ and pioneer women’s connections to seaweed, and a glimpse into their importance to local commercial and sport fisheries.

The exhibit is a traveling show of the work of artist and author Josie Iselin of San Francisco, in partnership with Exhibit Envoy, and is based on her book, “The Curious World of Seaweed.”

The exhibit arrived in Newport in crates, ready to be installed. ”We pulled some glass floats from our collection to add to it,” said Susan Tissot, executive director of the Lincoln County Historical Society, which maintains the Heritage Center.

Iselin will be at the Heritage Center this weekend — Friday, June 2, through Sunday, June 4. Weekend activities include a panel discussion, lecture, classes, meet-and-greet book signings, and tattoo art demonstration.

This weekend’s special events include:

• “Above/Below: Bridging Kelp Forest Communities,” June 2, 4 to 7 p.m., free panel discussion moderated by Karina Nielsen, director of Oregon Sea Grant. Iselin joins fellow panelists Tom Calvanese, manager of the Oregon State University field station at Port Orford and a part of OSU’s Marine Studies Initiative; Peter Hatch of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, discussing the tribes’ cultural history and contemporary investment in kelp and seaweed, and whose father was instrumental in creating the Elakha Alliance, a nonprofit that seeks to bring back the Oregon sea otter; Alanna Kieffer of Shifting Tides and Oregon Seaweed; and Sara Hamilton, scientific coordinator of the Oregon Kelp Alliance.

• “Art & Algae: Cyanotype Printing Workshop,” June 3, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., all materials included. $90; bring a bag lunch. Preregistration is required at 541-265-7509. Iselin will introduce cyanotype printing using her collection of dried seaweed as image-making material. Those attending can go home with four or five prints of their own.

• “Art & Algae: An artist’s journey into the science of seaweed,” 4 p.m. June 3, admission waived to attend the lecture by Iselin. This will be followed by a book signing for Iselin’s “Ocean Garden” and “The Curious World of Seaweed.”

• Seaweed Identification Workshop with Alanna Kieffer. June 4, 7 to 9 a.m., $40. This is a chance to explore the rocky shores at Seal Rock during very low tides and learn to identify and sustainably harvest wild seaweed. Register at shiftingtidesnw.com.

• Performative Tattoo Art demonstration, June 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with tattoo artist Luka Weinberger of Ohio. A one-of-a-kind forearm tattoo of an Iselin drawing was offered for sale at $1,800 as a fundraiser for the Above/Below Indigenous Kelp project. Videographer Casey Felton will videotape the application. Asked to explain “performative,” Tissot said Iselin uses the term to explain that Luka is doing a live tattoo application of Iselin’s design, with the process a type of performance as well.

• Meet-and-Greet book signing with Iselin, June 4, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., free with paid museum admission.

• Oregon Seaweed Booth, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 4 with Alanna Kieffer, farm and sales manager with Oregon Seaweed and Shifting Tides. She will discuss seaweed farming with tasting options and recipes.

The traveling exhibit is sponsored by Englund Marine & Industrial Supply, with support from Discover Newport, Best Western Agate Beach and Local Ocean.

Tissot said her husband, a marine biologist, suggested she contact Iselin and showed her Iselin’s book. Tissot called Iselin, learned about the traveling exhibit and arranged for its showing in Newport, its first appearance in the Northwest.

“We’re across the street from the commercial fishing fleet, and without seaweed, that industry doesn’t exist,” Tissot said. “There’s definitely a concern about the future of kelp and seaweed, which we can’t take for granted. And seaweed has become an important industry.” She noted that Oregon Seaweed in Garibaldi produces dried dulse seaweed as a seasoning and as a snack.,

In addition to learning about the historical role seaweed has played in coastal living, Tissot said exhibit-goers can view Iselin’s art, both in prints and on 8-foot banners hanging from the ceiling.

Iselin collects and dries seaweed, including kelp, puts it on a flatbed scanner and adds color to the digital copies to generate the imagery for her painting-like prints, notecards and scarves, some of which are available at the Heritage Center’s gift shop.

“This exhibit is gorgeous — and it’s full of content,” Tissot said. “With its combination of art, history and science, it has everything you need to know about seaweed. And it’s a great opportunity for people to see Josie’s amazing work, and a great way to learn why seaweed is so important in the ecosystem.”

Iselin has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and a Master of Fine Arts degree from San Francisco State University. She is co-director of the Above/Below collaborative, working for recognition of the oceans’ kelp forests.

A special feature of the exhibit is a newly set up children’s area, with a kelp forest created by Newport resident Carol Shenk.

“Carol has gone above and beyond,” Tissot said. “She is an incredibly talented artist and author of children’s books. We’re very lucky to have her as a volunteer in our archives.”

Shenk, who moved to Newport in 2019, retired from a career as an archivist for King County in Washington state. Since moving to the coast, she has volunteered with the historical society archives as well as with the Guin Library at the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center, but she is now focusing on her art. She has taught beginning drawing at the Newport Visual Arts Center and works primarily in mixed media and assemblage.

“It’s been exciting to create something that could support the exhibit,” she said of her kelp forest.

Shenk used unbleached wax paper to create the kelp, along with paper, string, beeswax and paint. “I tried to keep it non-toxic because it’s in an area for kids,” she said. “And I wanted to make it compostable.

“My goal for the installation was to create the feeling of an underwater kelp forest, and to have the feeling of the kelp floating,” Shenk noted.

The seaweed exhibit, which is in the mezzanine gallery, runs through Oct. 21. The museum, at 333 SE Bay Blvd., is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with parking available on site.