I have been exploring beaches for over 20 years, being inspired by the natural objects that wash ashore with the wind, waves and tides. 

Surf Coast Creations developed from collecting driftwood to create art. I am motivated towards achieving clean beaches and oceans, so collecting rubbish is also a big part of what I do.

Putting a piece of driftwood in place on an artwork is the final step of a process, which begins on a beach somewhere.  A useable piece of wood is more difficult to find than you might expect, timber even rarer.  Once found, the next step is deciding if the piece is worth transporting back to the workshop to be cleaned, dried, sorted and stored, before being rediscovered, arranged and rearranged till I am content with its new surroundings within an art work.

Whilst finding a useable piece of driftwood is difficult, I do find immeasurable quantities of human debris. The vast majority of which are plastics.  Bottles, plastic bags, food wrappers, polystyrene, fishing material, footwear, toys and the endless number of small fragmented unidentifiable pieces of plastic are just some examples. These items have a huge negative impact on the marine environment.  Therefore, every piece of driftwood collected shares it’s journey back to the workshop with many items of rubbish which I endeavor to reuse, recycle or dispose of correctly. In my pursuit to create responsible art, I aim to use only repurposed materials. Avoiding glues where possible, using paint destined for landfill and hanging pieces with discarded fishing line and rope.

During my excursions to find useable materials I am continually amazed by the constantly changing emotions of the coast.  I feel that this is reflected in my art. Whether hanging inside or outside, my art is the culmination of the long journey the pieces have taken to arrive together. No two artworks are the same and my art will always depend on whatever washes up next.

Brendan Bernard