SQUID INK was performed on Barcelona Beach and Harbour Breakwater at PRINTed#5 at EINA in Barcelona in Apri 2019.

It is an Environmental Awareness Printmaking Project. International in scope, it aims to engage the public through direct involvement with the process of printmaking, using natural biodegradable materials, particularly on municipal beaches, highlighting some of the major concerns of plastic in marine environments. These include microplastics in marine food chains, floating accumulative pollutants and marine animals choking and entangling themselves with plastic detritus in oceans across the globe.

The materials used in the Printmaking process include natural squid ink, in the first instance sourced from Spanish fishmongers, and Manutex a 100% natural Scottish seaweed derived product, used in the Textile industry as a printing medium to transfer dyes to all types of cloth.

SQUID INK was first performed at the Impact 10, International Print Conference, Sardinero Beach, Santander Spain in September 2018, where it received widespread coverage from Spanish print, tv-based media as well as social media.

It was additionally supported by Edinburgh Printmakers to accompany their final exhibition ‘Deluge’ at their existing premises and subsequently performed as a Masterclass on Portobello Beach in December 2018. 

Current investigations propose developing contacts directly with the Renewable Industries and Environmental Festivals to develop this Environmental Awareness Project further in Scotland and further abroad with the invitation to develop a related paper for the Leonardo journal.