Sea-inspired sculptures made from ocean debris dazzle and inspire visitors.
From a giant tufted puffin to a whimsical jellyfish made of plastic pollution, you may have seen larger-than-life sculptures on the Oregon Coast Public Art Trail, a self-guided art route. We’ve got the inside scoop on the visionary environmental organizations that create these sea creatures and help raise awareness on Oregon’s South Coast. Here are a few of the trash-to-treasure sculptures you can encounter and more about the artists who make them.
Repurposed Debris Turned Into Art to Save the Sea
Over 15 years ago, artist Angela Haseltine Pozzi became consumed by the plastic debris she saw scattered across the shoreline on her daily beach walks in Bandon. She began collecting the trash, seeing materials for her future art projects. “I’ve been like this all my life,” says Pozzi. “I always look at things in a new way, wondering how I can repurpose them.”
In 2010 she founded Washed Ashore with the motto “Art to Save the Sea.” The goal was to transform plastic waste she collected into powerful and playful sculptures — all with the purpose of raising awareness about ocean pollution. Inspired by water’s healing power, she used her artwork to return the favor and heal the ocean. (Learn more about her inspirational journey to create sustainable art in a talk for Portland’s CreativeMornings.)
The marine wildlife sculptures crafted at Washed Ashore have been showcased at the United Nations Ocean Conference and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. While she was there, Pozzi and team turned 48 tons of garbage into 85 sculptures.
The sheer amount of garbage she found made her set her sights upstream. “I often wondered why we generate so much plastic in the first place, and what [would happen] if we could get it before it hits the ocean,” says Pozzi. “We throw so much away, but really there’s no ‘away’ — it just stays in our environment.” In 2021 she retired from Washed Ashore with the goal to tackle plastic pollution on land.
More Art With Purpose
After brainstorming with her daughter Nicola Bianca Pozzi — also an artist — the duo launched a new mission-driven endeavor called ReUPit with the motto “Less Waste. More Art.” The quest is to expand from collecting sea debris for art to salvaging garbage before it hits the ocean, saving it from landfills.
Located south of Bandon along Highway 101 at a facility fittingly called Art 101, this creative hub includes an art gallery with fantastical pieces by both Pozzis. Visitors come for the art and relax afterward at a coffee shop and a thrift store set in a polka-dot yurt. You’ll also find colorful jewelry made from scrap metal, clothing decorated with their art, and a bead depot.
Centering the hub is Bandonia the Phoenix, a 12-foot sculpture that Pozzi made from old car bumpers and countless other items heading to the dump including bicycle tires, potato mashers, poker chips, bottle openers, hub caps and various utensils. You can also see a bioluminescent sea cave made from scraps of clothes and fabric in vibrant colors.
Sea-Creature Sculptures
In spring 2025, Washed Ashore marks 15 years of turning plastic pollution into eye-catching artwork with the continued purpose of giving a voice to sea life. Head to Bandon and you can get a sense of the scale and substance that goes into each palatial sculpture. Start at Coquille Point, a natural wonder with towering sea stacks and marine gardens. That’s where you’ll find Cosmo the Tufted Puffin overlooking the ocean.
Everything from the 6-foot-tall seabird’s signature orange beak to its giant webbed feet was made with ocean debris found on sandy beaches near Bandon. Look closely at the bird’s wings and you’ll see an assortment of hangers, pipes and flip-flops. The swirling tufts are made of cut rubber buoys, and the top crown slivers of golf balls. Next check out Finnian the Tiger Rockfish at the Bandon Marketplace. This bright-orange fish is composed of plastic trash including pieces from a canoe, a toilet seat, fishing bins, gas cans, toys and more.
Cruise along the coastline to downtown Coos Bay and seek out Belle, a spectacular 12-foot-tall jellyfish, a few blocks from the Coos Art Museum. Made from hundreds of plastic bottles, this educational sculpture includes facts about sea jellies and how floating plastic bags mimic the ethereal creatures — which can lead to sea turtles ingesting them and dying. All of these sculptures provide a new perspective on plastic and ocean life. You can join the efforts and help build new sculptures on Saturdays at the Pony Village Mall in North Bend. Or volunteer and drop off any plastic you collect on beach walks at additional locations.
