More Harvested Seaweed Discovered In A Zipped Pouch On My Backpack. I'm Thrilled!

Seaweed joy! I found more of the seaweed I foraged and packed when I was in Cordova, AK.  It was in one of the zippered pouches on my backpack. In the back of my mind, I knew I had more but couldn't remember where I had packed it, that is until this morning. I carefully separated the blades and stipe, then placed all of it into a small tub of water to soften and return to its rubbery qualities. 

Collectively, these are a more diverse sample of seaweed than the first batch that remain in the gifted botany press. I have this vast curiosity for seaweed. I remember lifting it up off my ankles while wading out in one East Coast body of water or another as a child. I would carry it up to our beach blanket and study its squiggly and sticky bits. I now have an artist's curiosity and wonder for it. 

I am going to look each species (there are over 12,000 species of seaweed) up and find their scientific name in my recently purchased book, "The Curious World of Seaweed.” I bought it after finding a copy of it in UAF's library stacks. I instantly knew I had to add a copy to my personal library. It is eye candy for the beach trekking, ocean botanist. 

The variances in stipe, blade and holdfast in this collection of marine algae that I'm glad I found and unpacked are intriguing. I will sketch them as part of my next painting's planning. I will have much to decide regarding where to place pencil sketches and watercolor paint, and where to place physical pieces of pressed seaweed.

I already completed a few pages of sketches from the books I used for research two months ago when I had some free weekend time from teaching and spent it surrounded by large, potted plants while sitting at one of the research tables at the library. See photos below:

But, as I noted in my earlier post, "Seaweed and Windowpane Paintings," holding freshly foraged samples up to a light source or under my handheld magnifying loupe has allowed me to define a more accurate palette of their natural colors to use in my paintings. 

I continue to reflect back on my time in Cordova via Prince William Sound College's  (UAA) recent Environmental Science Course for Teachers. It returned me to the ocean; to the joy of once again pulling seaweed from my wave washed legs. ©

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Just a note - Here is where I bought my ribbon strung, double magnifying loupe:

The Net Loft

140 Adams Avenue, P.O. Box 880

Cordova, Alaska 99574