Artist Spotlight: Torbay woman turning beach waste into coastal art

This fortnight I'm absolutely delighted to introduce Lisa McArthur, a Pastoral Manager at a local secondary school who transforms beach waste into vibrant coastal art.

Since August last year, Lisa has been turning discarded fragments from our beloved Torbay beaches into visual tributes to the very shores they came from – and hiding a starfish in every single piece.

Tell us about yourself - you're a local Paignton and Torquay girl working in a secondary school. What made you start creating art from beach waste back in August?

"I have lived in Paignton and Torquay all my life and love it here - would never move away. I am 57 and love the seaside, beach and ocean. I work as a Pastoral Manager in a local secondary school. I also have two SEN children. I started creating my artwork August last year as work/life balance was stressful and I was looking to do something as a distraction and to help me relax."

Walk us through your process - from beach cleaning to finished artwork. How do you decide what becomes part of a piece?

"My creations start with a walk along many of our local beaches collecting waste that has been washed up by the ocean or left behind there by us. I bring it home and sanitize and clean what I have found. I then sort out into colours and types of things found like wood, shells, glass, plastic, metals, random bits, rope, string etc. Sometimes I find random things and I automatically know what I will use them for as being local I know all our beaches and particular land marks etc."

You mentioned each creation has a hidden starfish - what's the story behind that?

"I wanted a name for my art that combined the Sea and that I am recycling and I came up with Seacycle and designed my logo. I then wanted to come up with a signature that was different for my work, something that was hidden. It had to be something ocean based. Starfish regenerate and I am recycling what I find so Seacycle by Starfish was created and I hide a starfish in every individual piece I create."

What's the most unusual or interesting piece of beach waste you've transformed into art?

"Most unusual things I have found so far are a robot head, Ear pod, bits of bones, couple of lego bits, tape cassette cover, small dolls pink handbag and a doll shoe, silver ring, key ring, ceramic pieces, 3d printed animal, sea shoe, snorkel, googles, sunglasses etc."

Do you have a favorite beach for collecting materials?

"I know there are certain beaches that are great to collect things from when there has been a storm as they collect loads of rubbish bit like a huge net. There are others beaches that I now know are great for different things such as sea glass and shells, others that are great for driftwood. I always love visiting any beach as the exciting part is I never know what I may find."

You work full-time and do this in your spare time - what drives you to keep creating?

"I work full time but I pop into my little studio for a while when I get home at the end of the day or at the weekend. Once I start creating I get lost in time whilst listening to my favourite tunes and before I know it I have been consumed by my enjoyment and realise hours have gone by. The positive feedback I am getting and seeing people smile and talk about what I am doing has driven me to continue creating."

What do you hope people take away when they see your work?

"I hope that my work makes people smile and reminds them of their favourite beaches and happy times had there. The feedback I have received is that people love the colours and the fact that each time they look at a picture they see or find or notice something different.

My art is something informative and interactive for all ages as well to educate what gets washed up on beaches and think about why it has ended up there. I hope my art will encourage others to beach clean and think of ways they could recycle what they find. I also love that everyone enjoys looking and trying to find the starfish I have hidden in every individual picture I make."

What are you working on right now that's got you excited?

"I am currently working on my pieces that I will display at Spanish Barn Art Exhibition and I am so excited as my first time being part of an art exhibition."

Where can people see your work and follow what you're doing?

"My work is displayed at Sands Road Gallery in Paignton, Below Decks at Torquay Harbour, Babbacombe Delicatessen on Portland Road, Torquay and soon to be at TJs restaurant Cliff Road, Paignton. You can also see my work on Facebook or Instagram @seacyclebystarfish"

What's your big dream for 2026?

"My dream for 2026 would be that I have reached 1000 followers on Facebook and Instagram and that I can carry on with my passion for creating my art and to continue to share what I make with others to bring them happiness. My big dream would be to have my own exhibition."

What strikes me most about Lisa's story is how something born from stress and the need to decompress has blossomed into something that brings joy to so many people. The image of her in her little studio, lost in time with her favourite tunes playing, sorting through robot heads and doll shoes and sea glass – it's the perfect antidote to the demanding work of supporting children and families in a school setting.

The symbolism of the starfish is brilliant – regeneration meets recycling. Every piece of beach waste gets a second chance, just as starfish regenerate lost limbs. And the fact that people keep discovering new details each time they look at her work speaks to the richness and complexity she's building into each piece.

What Lisa is doing is important beyond the aesthetic. She's creating conversation pieces that make people think about what ends up on our beaches and why. She's turning environmental education into something beautiful and engaging. And she's proving that you don't need an art school degree or a full-time studio practice to create work that matters.

If you're heading to the Torbay Guild of Artists exhibition at the Spanish Barn, make sure you look out for Lisa's work – and try to spot those hidden starfish. Better yet, follow her journey on Instagram and Facebook @seacyclebystarfish and help her reach that 1000 follower dream. She deserves it.

If you'd like to be featured in our Artist Spotlight series or know of local creative projects we should cover, drop me a line athannah@print2wall.co.uk. At Print2Wall, we offer museum-quality fine art printing and bespoke framing services to help artists and photographers bring their vision to life – visit us at www.print2wall.co.uk