Jo Atherton, Flotsam Weaving

Artist Jo Atherton weaves playful tapestries made from flotsam found on the beach. Always surprising, never predictable, the sea curates a temporary narrative that is replenished with each changing tide. Balloons from France, fishing gear from The Netherlands, toys from the USA and even lobster trap tags from Canada have all found their way into her intricate tapestries.

Like the stone stools and pottery archaeologists use to define past cultures, a layer of plastic will signify our throwaway society. We leave a trail of plastic in our wake, but what do these discarded fragments say about us?

Watford Museum recently invited Jo to exhibit her unique weavings in a solo show at the Space2 Gallery. In addition, she recently won the Gateway Gallery art competition and looks forward to a solo show at London Luton International Airport. ‘Beyond The Horizon’ takes place from September – November in the main terminal building. ‘Deeply impressed at the quality and originality of her work’, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall has invited Joanna to exhibit in their Quarterdeck Gallery from February to July 2015, which will feature her tapestries alongside a short film and series of workshops around the theme of flotsam.