PICTURES: Seaweed pressing makes a splash at museum

Tricia Johnson doing the seaweed pressing demonstration at Littlehampton Museum. Picture: Stephen Goodger

Seaweed pressing was the catch of the day at Littlehampton Museum on Saturday as an artist shared her craft with visitors.

Tricia Johnson, from Bognor Regis, became interested in seaweed pressing after seeing Victorian examples at the Natural History Museum in London.

During her demonstration, the art tutor submerged thick watercolour paper in water and, using seaweed she collected from the beach in Felpham, arranged the algae with tweezers before lifting the paper from the water.

She said the seaweed naturally adheres itself to the paper, cutting out the need for glue.

Tricia hoped her own collection would be useful to science: “My pieces could be used in the future not just as art, but as a record of climate change, which is interesting.”

Tricia’s exhibition is at the museum until June 2.