Beach artist Kate sets children a Christmas creativity challenge

CHILDREN can help keep local beaches clean and get creative this Christmas with a competition being run by a local artist.

Kate Blair (36), from Lymington, picks up debris and litter to help clear up and do her bit to reduce harmful plastic in the oceans on daily walks along the shore with her husband Angus, 15-month-old daughter Winnie and Border terrier Yogi.

From her finds, which she calls seastuff – also the name of her art company – artistic Kate creates one-off pieces and donates a small percentage of profits from her sales to the 2minutebeachclean organisation.

She told the A&T: “Each walk I have my bag with me and pick up anything ranging from bottles, rope, plastic, rubber, old toys to sweet wrappers - doing a good deed as well as sourcing materials for my work.

“Such a wide variety of things are to be found, and what I love most is, you just never know what you’re going to find, therefore I have no idea what piece of art I will make next until I’ve actually found some ‘seastuff’.

“Once back in my little studio, and all my stuff is cleaned and dry, I can then study each finding and let my imagination run wild with me and what I can possibly make!”

Everything made by Kate is purely from marine debris and things she has found on the beach, with nothing added or painted.

Inspired by the idea of getting local children involved, she has now set up a competition on her Instagram page for youngsters to do a beach clean and make a Christmas wreath from their finds.

There are two categories: over 12s and under 12s. Photos of entries can be posted on Instagram with the hashtag #seastuffwreathcomp, or emailed to kate.seastuff@gmail.com

All participants must include their name, age and contact details.

Prizes are family tickets to Paulton’s Park and Bournemouth Oceanarium, and Kate will also go to the school class of the under-12s winner and do an art session for them next year.

The competition is open now and winners will be announced on Christmas Eve.

“When doing this I wanted to educate children more with the whole problem with plastic and our oceans and I also thought it would be a bit of fun for them to do over the Christmas period,” she said.

To see more of Kate’s work go to her website www.seastuff.co.uk