Hosted By Open Workshops

This all-inclusive art and ecology workshop takes place in the Brittany region of France, home to some of the most picturesque beaches in the country and close to 800 different seaweeds – the richest diversity of such species in the world thanks to the rise and fall of up to 10 meters between low and high tide. During this immersive experience San Francisco artist, book designer, and algae aficionado Josie Iselin will share her great knowledge of the curious world of seaweed as you create stunning blue and white cyanotype images, using seaweed as both material and inspiration. Marinoë edible seaweed company founder Marie Plan will be our guide as we explore the local intertidal zone and collect specimens to use as we create frame-worthy images and learn to cook with edible seaweed.

To set the stage, Josie Iselin will introduce us to her work and how she became so entwined with the fascinating world of seaweed. You will be inspired by algae's diverse biology and ecology, learn to identify a variety of green, red, and brown seaweed, and become more aware of the importance of a healthy intertidal zone and how it interconnects with the health of the planet. She'll then teach you to use the power of the sun to create beautiful blue and white cyanotypes with the seaweed you forage from the stunning shores of Brittany as image-making material. Known for its distinctive blueprint-like images, cyanotype is the same simple cameraless photography technique used by pioneering, curious, and innovative botanist and photographer Anna Atkins (British, 1799-1871) to create images for the first book ever to be illustrated with photographic plates, Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, published in 1843.

Beyond experiencing the extraordinary beauty of their diverse colors and forms, we'll learn how seaweeds play a critical role in supporting biodiversity, ocean acidification mitigation, coastal erosion, water quality, and more. Also a sustainable source of nutrition, seaweed is remarkably rich in vitamins and minerals. Under the guidance of Marinoë founder Marie Plan, you'll learn how to use an assortment of seaweed in creative dishes that you can make at home.

In the Open Workshop spirit, we may think up other creative ideas to explore independently or collectively during our time together. In between creative projects, stimulating conversations, and learning about the wonder of the intertidal zone, and enjoying delicious meals with new friends, you’ll have time to relax and enjoy the area's natural beauty. Hiking, biking, surfing, and kayaking can be arranged, as you wish!

We’ll be located near Plomeur, a commune in the traditional Bigouden region of Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France, not far from stunning beaches and the Pointe de La Torche - a remarkable natural coastal headland that is a magnet for surfers as well as hikers who are drawn to its fascinating megalithic sites.

This adult workshop is open to everyone, no experience is required and experimentation is encouraged! 

See itinerary overview below. Instruction is in English. All meals included with lodging. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you want to join us, please do so asap! We must register a minimum of 6 people with lodging by March 31 to green light this workshop. Fear not, if we do not reach the minimum, you will receive a full refund. 

About Josie Iselin

Artist, author, and designer Josie Iselin has been telling seaweed and kelp stories for over a decade. With six books to her credit, her work is an extraordinary expression of both art and science. Her writing and art focusing on seaweed and kelp have put her at the forefront of ocean activism, collaborating with scientists and environmental groups working to preserve the kelp forests of the Pacific Coast. Two of her books, The Curious World of Seaweed (Heyday, 2019), and An Ocean Garden: The Secret Life of Seaweed (2014, reprint 2023), are Tiffany Award winners for algal communications by the Phycological Society of America. She is currently directing content development for the Above/Below campaign to raise awareness of the rapidly disappearing kelp forests and the important role they play in the environmental health of the planet and is the lead author of the campaign’s web story, The Mysterious World of Bull Kelp published in July 2023.

Josie holds a BA in visual and environmental studies from Harvard University and an MFA from San Francisco State University. She lives in San Francisco where she teaches in the School of Design at San Francisco State University. Learn more about her work at josieiselin.com.

About Marie Plan

Marie and her husband Patrick, two seaweed farming enthusiasts who wanted to work with their feet on the rocks, their hands in the salt water, and their heads in the stars, founded their edible seaweed company, Marinoë in 1992. Their dream: to cultivate algae to make underwater forests, to preserve aquatic fauna and flora and to view the sea as a garden in which algae enriches everyone's daily diet. A tough challenge when they began to confront the realities of an almost non-existent market. Thirty years later, Marinoë is one of Brittany’s prized edible seaweed brands. To preserve quality and out of respect for ecosystems, most algae are harvested by hand. “Each algae has its rhythm of life, which we must respect, and when the sea recedes, we will carefully pick its gifts.”