Last year, professional photographer, Sarah Jane Thornington, started thinking about the sheer quantity of marine debris she was collecting on the beach and then either recycling or discarding and started to document her finds. She was aiming to pick up 1,825 pieces of plastic for the year. After just 3 weeks, she’d more than surpassed that goal. From that collection of discard objects and marine debris came inspiration and artistic creation. From photographing like items she collected to creating prints with pieces of found ropes from ancient lobster traps to mosaics made from the smallest bits of plastic, Sarah spend the year not only cleaning debris from beaches around the world but also as inspiration that is reflected in her art.

Sarah Jane Thornington has lived and created on Cape Cod for more than 30 years. She is the owner and photographer at The Studio by the Sea, a portrait studio, in Hyannis. She has been photographing families, high school seniors and school photos for the last two decades, and loves sharing in the lives of the families she meets. You can follow her story of plastic found by the sea on Cape Cod on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ayearofplastic/?hl=en

The Gallery @ Woodbury Public Library
269 Main Street South, Woodbury CT 06798
Monday-Friday, 10:00 – 4:00

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