Exhibition Opening: FOUND ADRIFT | Timeless new works inspired by an 1876 seaweed scrapbook

FOUND ADRIFT | Timeless new works inspired by an 1876 seaweed scrapbook

Ron Miriello has created an extensive series of art pieces and installations called Found Adrift | Timeless new works inspired by an 1876 seaweed scrapbook. Nature was frozen in time, in an exquisite collection by a young woman from Searsport, Maine. Tucked away in a trunk for almost 150 years, it was rediscovered by Richard Rydell, a local collector and lifelong friend of Ron’s. The intricate beauty captured in the original specimens inspired the artist during a visit to Maine in 2023 and became the subjects for his extensive new collection of works on canvas, textiles, video, and lithographs – all in service to the stunning, hidden beauty of nature itself.

Found Adrift is presented in collaboration with World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024, a year-long international showcase of cities using creativity and design to enhance quality of life and bring communities together.

EXHIBITION OPENING EVENT

A special opening of Found Adrift will be held for ONE NIGHT ONLY in San Diego’s dynamic Barrio Logan Arts District. The former Woodbury School of Architecture building is being transformed into a creative collaborative called Studio Culture, where 50+ artwork pieces will be exhibited, including a video created by Rome-based photographer Renato Cerisola, along with DJ music, a local food truck, beer, coffee and great people like you!

The exhibition opening is free and open to all friends of design, nature and the arts. No tickets necessary.

2122 Main Street, San Diego, CA 92113
Plenty of secured off-street parking is available.

Important Note:
The opening event on December 6 will be the best opportunity for the public to view Found Adrift.
Afterwards, the exhibition will be available by appointment only until February 1, 2025.

ABOUT THE MOVEMENT: Why Seaweed Scrapbooks?

During the Victorian Era, collecting seaweed and pressing samples into scrapbooks was a popular women’s pastime, particularly in England. In fact, Queen Victoria herself is said to have made seaweed albums as a young girl. While the world was abuzz with Darwinism and other scientific discoveries, “seaweeding” was one of the few socially acceptable ways for women to explore the natural world. Now, a century and a half later, these long-lost scrapbooks are finding new life, meaning and relevancy for collectors, climate scientists and artists like Ron Miriello. Thanks to one unknown woman who lovingly and meticulously preserved her collection of humble seaweed, we can rediscover the timeless beauty of nature while learning from the past with Found Adrift.

ABOUT THE ARTIST: Ron Miriello

Ron is an artist and designer who has never stayed in his lane–never wanted to stay in a lane. A career in graphic and product design, a sculpture minor from Colorado State University and years of schooling and traveling in Italy, have helped Ron seek possibilities in unexpected places. “Projectizing” is a word he uses to explain a tendency to crash ideas together, ideas that may hold a fresh thought or nuanced perspective. His design and art pieces usually unfold as a series of studies and variations. He then moves on to prototypes, motivated in large part by simple curiosity. This sketch/prototype/assess-after approach also serves as a progenitor for fine art projects. He invites intentional playfulness on the fuzzy dividing line between design/craft and art. In the words of W.H. Auden, “A craftsman knows in advance what the result will be, while the artist only knows when he has finished.” A cultural appreciation of artisans and craftspeople is a connecting thread to Ron’s work. The lost, forgotten or once-valued are reconsidered in an artful manner, to give pause and the opportunity for renewed perspective.