Angela Haseltine Pozzi facts for kids

Angela Haseltine Pozzi, born in 1957, is an amazing American artist. She creates incredible sculptures using plastic trash found in the ocean. Angela is also the person who started and leads an organization called Washed Ashore. Her giant artworks include animals like a polar bear, a puffin, a jellyfish, and an octopus.

Early Life and Education

Angela Haseltine Pozzi was born in Portland, Oregon. She grew up in a family of artists. Angela spent a lot of her childhood near the beautiful Oregon coast. This time by the ocean helped her love for nature grow.

She went to the University of Utah and earned a degree in education in 1984. Later, in 1990, she got another degree from Portland State University. This one focused on teaching art.

Becoming an Ocean Artist

Angela was a teacher for 30 years. After a difficult time in her life, she found comfort by the ocean. But she soon noticed a big problem: lots of plastic trash was washing up on the beaches. This plastic was hurting the ocean and its animals.

Angela learned more about how plastic affects sea creatures. In 2012, she decided to do something about it. She started the Washed Ashore Project. This project collects plastic waste from beaches near Bandon, Oregon. Angela then uses this trash to build huge sculptures of marine animals.

Many people have helped Angela with her mission. Over 10,000 volunteers have joined the Washed Ashore Project. Together, they have collected more than 40,000 pounds of plastic waste. From all this trash, Angela and her team have created 70 amazing sculptures!

Art Style and Message

Angela Pozzi makes colorful sculptures from everyday items. These include plastic bottles, bags, and other trash. Her large artworks show animals like a polar bear, a puffin, a jellyfish, and an octopus. She often gives her sculptures human names. For example, one of her famous pieces is called Edward the Leatherback Sea Turtle.

Through her art, Angela wants to teach people about protecting our planet. She hopes her sculptures make viewers think about how plastic use affects ocean life. Her goal is to inspire everyone to help keep our oceans clean.