[ccfic caption-text format="plaintext"]
By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The Olin Art Gallery’s current display features work by Mary Jameson from her Living Watercolors collection. On display until May 15, the works are a beautiful pop of color and art within a school often focused on more technical things. Jameson owns a studio called Saltwater Studios, located in Newport, Rhode Island. Her creations are made using seaweed and organic materials sourced from North Atlantic coastal waters.
“Inspired by Victorian era pressings of seaweed, I was transformed by the beauty of marine algae, having never observed it so closely before,” Jameson said. “Back at the studio I study the shape, texture and color of individual species and start a process of symbiotic layering to create new forms. As these forms develop, the known and unknown intersect in a dynamic way to challenge thought patterns.” Hanging in the walls, her works really do seem to be living, changing depending on light and distance, creating an illusion of peering into an underwater world rarely seen.
“For most people, seaweed is something to avoid and considered a nuisance. My work presents a new awareness for consideration and offers new insights into the mysteries and beauty of the marine world,” she added. Her work is featured at the Newport Art Museum, the Jeff Soderbergh Gallery in Wellfleet, MA, and private residences throughout the area. Jameson leads workshops, demonstrating the process of seaweed pressing, eco pressing, and collaging. She has led workshops for Boston University Marine Program, high schools, as well as the South Shore Art Association.
