Colleen describes herself as a socio-ecological artist. Her work is both functional and artistic. Colleen works at the intersection of art, science, technology, and the environment. Colleen has created metalwork in many forms including jewelry and puppets for motion pictures such as the stop-motion animation Coraline, a 2009 film directed by Henry Selick.. Colleen designed and built a sculptural frame for coral. This work promotes a healthy marine community, one that thrives in the presence of the coral growing on the frame. Her Living Sea Sculpture is on display in an underwater museum in Cozumel, Mexico. The video version of the podcast includes underwater footage of Colleen and her Living Sea Sculpture.

Kim Bernard is a full-time artist based in Maine who creates installations using upcycled trash. She works with communities to share the joy of making things using recycled materials. Kim has over 30 years of experience as a professional artist. She creates works with a range of materials from debris that washes ashore, bicycle inner tubes, plastic bags, even bowling balls. Kim has built a mobile recycling device. She uses her PopUpCycler to encourage communities to collect plastic trash. Together they shred the plastic and transform it into pieces that are assembled into a unique and meaningful installation for everyone to enjoy.

Martina Wing is a manta ray and marine life advocate, educator, author, and underwater photographer. She fell in love with the ocean in 1998 after scuba diving with manta rays for the first time. Martina now devotes her life to educating and inspiring others to honor, protect, and support our oceans. She co-owns Manta Ray Advocates on the Big Island of Hawaii, and with her husband James co-founded Hawaii Ocean Watch, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Jayshree imagined that a book from the perspective of a drop of water could transport children on their own journey and along the way they might learn how precious a resource water is. The overarching message from the book is to go out in nature and explore and remember that where there is water there is life. If you are connected with water, you are connected with our whole world.

Marie Maltais, Director of the Art Centre at the University of New Brunswick, uses art to spark conversation about plastic pollution, water and climate change. Through projects like H2O: Liquid Measure, Cascade: Our Plastic, Our Planet, Our Choice and the interactive app H2O – An Ocean of Science, Marie helps audiences see environmental issues in a more personal, visual and participatory way.

Nina’s activism began alongside her environmental activist parents and grew into a global call for accountability. Through speeches, letters, social media and youth webinars, she challenges countries to take responsibility for plastic waste and helps young activists turn observation into action.

Kirsten Carlson’s work is shaped by her love of water, animals and the natural world. From studying marine science in California to diving beneath Antarctic sea ice, she uses underwater drawing to capture the beauty and wonder of nature in a deeply present and intimate way.

Maria Westerbos, founder of the Plastic Soup Foundation, turned her concern about plastic pollution into a global mission. In this episode, she discusses the Netherlands’ relationship with water, the health and environmental risks of plastic pollution, and the hidden problem of microfibers from clothing entering waterways.

Suzanne uses found beach trash from Fiji’s shoreline to create art that reveals the scale of marine rubbish. Through Benu_ni_waitui, she transforms plastic pegs, bottle tops, lighters and other discarded items into visual reminders that small choices can influence others and help reduce plastic pollution.

Noemi Knight’s children’s book Popoto began with a forgotten family photograph from 1986, showing her in a paddleboat surrounded by dolphins in New Zealand. After learning that the Maui dolphin is critically endangered, Noemi turned that discovery into a children’s book designed to raise awareness before it is too late.

Mariah Reading’s Recycled Landscapes project turns discarded objects found in national parks into painted landscapes that reflect the places where they were collected. Rooted in a zero-waste philosophy, her work invites viewers to think about conservation, ecoanxiety and the small everyday choices that help protect the land.

Inspired by the beauty of the ocean, Romina Bayer created OceanSnaps, an online platform to teach the fundamentals of underwater photography. She wants to help aspiring underwater photographers hone their skills and, through their photos, expose others to the beauty and fragility of the ocean. Hear her story on Women Mind the Water Artivist Series podcast.

A multifaceted, talented storyteller and naturalist interpreter talks about many things including her experience living underwater for nine days and some of the amazing things she experienced there. For Cathy Sakasthe experience as “the closest I’ve ever come to being a fish.” Listen to her podcast on Women Mind the Water Artivist Series podcast.

A basket maker who works with kelp talks about how she collects and uses kelp in British Columbia. Cheryl Massey has observed the decline in kelp over the last decade. She believes the decline is the result of climate change and the overall destruction of nature. Cheryl discusses several baskets and a wedding shawl she’s made. Hear her story on the Women Mind the Water Artivist Series podcast.

Comic artist and deep water fisheries specialist from Indonesia explores effective ways to communicate marine science using comic art. Elle Wisibono is the creator of Fishtory, a comic that speaks to fishery science and conservation. Hear Elle's story on the Women Mind the Water Artivist Series podcast.

A multidimensional ocean activist who works in the areas of advocacy, research and community building talks about the varied projects she's worked on. Paulita Bennett-Martin has worked on several oral history projects and through this work knows the value of storytelling. Hear Paulita Bennett-Martin's story on the Women Mind the Water Artivist Series podcast.

Ivy Frignoca, Casco Baykeeper for the Maine nonprofit Friends of Casco Bay, is a full-time advocate for Casco Bay. She is the eyes, ears, and voice for Casco Bay, a body of water in Maine. She discusses volunteers who use their smartphones to provide photographic documentation of pollution, sea level rise, algal growth, and erosion. Listen Women Mind the Water Artivist Series podcast.

Janavi is a mixed media artist who uses watercolors to illustrate her passion for the ocean and her creatures. Hear what she has to say on our Women Mind the Water Artivist Podcast podcast.

Dianna became an advocate against plastic pollution after learning about the properties of plastic through her artistic practice of using plastic bags to create 2D and 3D art works.

Multi-dimensional artist uses her talents to help protect the ocean. Through her award-winner watercolor and children's books Nina Rossiter shares her passion for the ocean and her creatures. Nina believes that the future depends on our actions today. Hear about her love of the ocean in our interview on Women Mind the Water Artivist Series podcast.