OUR COMMUNITY
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Plastic spiraling out of control
By Libby Darling After setting up a beach cleaning group & after years of running beach cleans, picking up plastic after plastic piece I realised that just like at home, once the plastic was put in the kitchen bin it was forgotten...the same was happening on the beach, once the plastics are placed in the Volunteers collection bag they are again forgotten. I wanted people to talk about what they were finding, develop narrative, plant ideas and hope that those ideas grow. I trained many years ago as an artist and always had a special interest in spirals, from painting to making ceramic spirals; knowing that in ancient history spirals bought people together. I knew that this was what I had to continue doing, create another spiral and thus Plastics spiraling out of control was born. 
Last year I launched a live community art installation on the beach at the close of one of my beach cleans on Ovingdean beach. After the clean everyone came together and tipped their contents onto a large blue tarpaulin...the spiral was created. An independent film maker came to film it.
Plastic Beach from Joanne Barker on Vimeo.
It was an amazing day and has driven me to want to make more of it this year. This year it’s on Rottingdean beach and we are planning a fabulous beach festival to celebrate everyone and everything that the amazing volunteers have accomplished (the removal of 6 tonnes across 6 years of beach cleaning) with a silent disco beach clean, yoga on the beach for all ages and abilities, drumming workshops, Mosaic making, 5 rhythms dance and so much more. It’s going to be an amazing day.
Next year I plan to bring the beach festival to Saltdean too, spreading the beach cleaning news that plastic is spiraling out of control. See you on the beach for a huge amount of 'feelgoodfactor'. So I’m developing another project around it and from that another piece of art work developed by the community for the community, inspired by beach cleaning and the beautiful marine conservation zone that we all live on, which Amanda Davidson local artist will help make into a fabulous mural to adorn the Rottingdean ‘under’ terrace or as I’m now addressing as Rottingdean cave and the mural becomes The Rottingdean cave drawing. Watch this space!
More about me - I work as a Volunteers not only on the beaches with local schools and youth groups delivering a plastics challenge to them every year and hope that every time I talk about the issues of plastics that young ears will listen, learn and pass on their knowledge.
I’m blessed to live in the vibrant villages of of the Deans, on the beautiful marine conservation zone Beachy head west to the south east and west and the South Downs National Park to the north east and west. We are also recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere area; bringing together the people, the culture and the amazing nature. I’m so lucky I am able to help protect it and to teach about its beauty. Warmest Regards, Libby, Lead volunteer Co Founder of GRAB. www.facebook.com/thedeansvolunteers So when is the festival? Hit this link to find out > ZoneZine-Whats On Calendar-May 2018-Beach Clean Festival- Rottingdean |
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