{"product_id":"playful-harbor-seal-kelp-forest-art","title":"Playful","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11 x 14 inches\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mixed media collage and paint\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSigned by the artist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal artwork\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReady to hang\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFrom the Tide Keepers series — Art Inspiring Ocean Stewardship.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlayful\u003c\/strong\u003e is an original mixed-media kelp forest artwork by Dawn Leigh, created from hand-cut pieces of reclaimed paper layered with translucent acrylic paint. Two harbor seals move through a thriving underwater forest, surrounded by schools of fish, swaying kelp, and shifting currents of blue and green.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seals show unmistakable curiosity and movement as they navigate their underwater world. Their playfulness draws the viewer into an ecosystem that is simultaneously beautiful, complex, and essential to life along the California coast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKelp forests are among the most dynamic marine ecosystems on the Pacific Coast, providing food, shelter, and nursery habitat for a remarkable diversity of species. In \u003cem\u003ePlayful\u003c\/em\u003e, the kelp is more than a backdrop. It becomes part of the living architecture of the work—connecting the seals, fish, water, and surrounding environment into one interdependent system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilt through Dawn Leigh's “painting with scissors” process, \u003cem\u003ePlayful\u003c\/em\u003e combines reclaimed magazine pages and repurposed papers selected for their color, texture, pattern, and fragments of imagery. Individual pieces are cut and layered to construct the marine environment before translucent acrylic glazes bring the composition together. From a distance, the fragments become seals, kelp, fish, and moving water; viewed closely, the individual pieces remain visible and invite discovery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePlayful\u003c\/em\u003e is part of the evolving \u003cstrong\u003eTide Keepers: Guardians of the Kelp Forest\u003c\/strong\u003e initiative, which uses art and visual storytelling to bring greater attention to California's kelp forests and inspire curiosity, connection, ocean literacy, and stewardship. The initiative has been selected as a BLUE THREAD project for inclusion on the UNESCO Ocean Literacy Portal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA joyful yet meaningful work for collectors drawn to marine life, California's coastal ecosystems, environmental stewardship, and artwork that reveals new details each time it is viewed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePerfect For:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e• Ocean and marine-life collectors\u003cbr\u003e• Seal and wildlife lovers\u003cbr\u003e• Contemporary coastal interiors\u003cbr\u003e• Collectors of environmental and conservation art\u003cbr\u003e• Homes, offices, educational, and professional spaces\u003cbr\u003e• Collectors drawn to themes of curiosity, connection, and healthy ecosystems\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtwork copyright remains with the artist.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dawn Leigh Creations","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53977042976952,"sku":null,"price":800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0436\/6185\/2827\/files\/Playful_DawnLeigh_2026.jpg?v=1787602340","url":"https:\/\/www.dawnleighcreations.com\/products\/playful-harbor-seal-kelp-forest-art","provider":"Dawn Leigh Creations","version":"1.0","type":"link"}