Coastal Prezence

Coastal Prezence is a family run seaweed pressing business. 

Husband, wife, and daughter; Robin, Ginette, and Amanda produce both original seaweed pressings and archival seaweed prints. Our business started at Ginette’s request for a business grant. We initially pressed and mounted native plants on cards and canvas evolving with our customers help into creating solely with pressed seaweeds. Over the years we have grown and evolved into a professional art business based on pacific seaweeds. Seasonal shows, Markets, Interior Decorating orders, and a growing wholesale business now support our family.

Emerging from traditional paint and flower pressing mediums into working with seaweeds was challenging at first. The only commonality was in the actual pressing of the plants, says Ginette. An artist strives to gain control over his/her medium and the seaweeds were filled with problems at every step. But there was always an inspiration that kept us going - that would not let us quit, and it was this “inspiration “ that allowed us to move forward, now using the seaweeds as a medium for design.

In the design world Art Nouveau is often characterized as being inspired by flowing and undulating plant forms. Architects, and artists such as Gustav Klimt followed this path a hundred years ago. We think it is important today, in this time to re-establish a working relationship with nature, and we as artists are truly inspired by the flowing shapes and bold forms that the seaweeds supply.

Wherever we go and no matter how far from the ocean, people on their travels are receptive to our seaweed designs. It is this universal acceptance.