The Hartlepool woman creating amazing artwork out of rubbish she finds on our beaches

Diane Watson used plastic debris from beaches and coastlines to produce work that raises awareness of plastic pollution of the environment - and just look at the finished product.

But Diane does not just create art. She has worked with local communities to achieve plastic free status for Hartlepool, in an initiative led nationally by Surfers Against Sewage.

She has delivered talks and workshops to raise awareness of the damage that single use plastics are causing the environment.

And now she is calling on people to join forces to combat the plague of waste left in beauty spots.

She described – in an article published on the Festival of Thrift’s website – how her daily exercise in lockdown involved walking the same two mile stretch of beach with her dogs.

She said it was “noticeably cleaner, the birds were singing louder and even the air felt fresher” leading her to wonder “was nature in the absence of humans beginning to heal?”

But after the easing of lockdown, the litter and mess had returned within days, she said.

“Bags full of picnic and food wrappers, chip papers, bottles of beer and half-empty plastic bottles once again became the norm.”

She added: “This increase in litter was reported in the news across the country at beaches and beauty spots – it’s not just a local problem. The disrespect is shocking and it’s clear we need behavioural and system change at every level.”

Diane believes ‘a simple message that unites the community is the most positive step I feel I can offer as a visual artist. We have come together to ‘clap for carers’ now we need to unite and bang the drum to respect the environment.”

There is big news on the art front too.

Diane secured Arts Council funding for a project to make a garden out of 3500 plastic bottles.

The 'Garden of the Deep' project will be exhibited as part of this year’s Festival of Thrift event in September in Kirkleatham before going on tour across the Tees Valley.

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