Making waves: Coleg Llandrillo Art Student donates two-metre plastic whale to Anglesey Sea Zoo
Art and Design Foundation student Jodie Roberts is making a massive splash with her final year project: a two-metre-long whale named Humphrey, crafted entirely from recycled plastic.
Sourcing a lot of her materials from a local Asda supermarket, Jodie designed the giant sculpture to highlight the urgent issue of plastic pollution and environmental sustainability.
"I wanted to create something really big and meaningful," Jodie explains. "If it was small, it wouldn't be noticeable. At this size, I hope it makes people stop and realize just how much plastic we use."
From garden waste to fine art
As a textiles artist, working with rigid plastics and heavy structures was uncharted territory for Jodie. To construct Humphrey, she recycled old water pipes, hula hoops, and garden mesh rescued from her father's rubbish bin, before using a heat gun to wrap the structure in plastic.
She then applied intricate textile methods, including a technique called traponto, to the plastic shell to create a unique, lifelike texture. The whale also features custom glass eyes, which Jodie crafted herself in the college’s specialist glass room.
"The foundation course is all about learning and pushing your own boundaries," says Jodie. "Working with glass and plastic was completely new to me. It's the biggest thing I've ever done creatively."
Humphrey isn't the only thought-provoking piece Jodie had on display at the Coleg Llandrillo End of Year Exhibition. She also created a series of interactive hanging jellyfish made from plastic and won best in show for her work. "The idea is for people to walk through them and almost get 'stung' by their own everyday plastic use," she says.
A permanent home by the sea
As for what happens to a two-metre whale after graduation? Humphrey has already secured a permanent home.
"I knew he wouldn't fit in my car or my house!" Jodie laughs. "I frequently visit Anglesey Sea Zoo with my little niece and love their art displays, so I contacted them to see if they’d accept him as a donation. I was amazed when they said yes. It’s brilliant that people will be able to visit him there."
With her final year wrapping up, Jodie is already looking to the future, with plans to launch her own creative business and sell her artwork.
Humphrey the Whale will soon be on display at Anglesey Sea Zoo.
Are you interested in a career in the creative industries? It's not too late to start your story with us in September. Visit our website for more information on the art, design and photography courses available at the Group: https://www.gllm.ac.uk/cy/cour...