The artist behind Frond of You (Beth Rowlands) began pressing seaweed just a year ago after attending a workshop in St Davids. Although she explored various crafts over the years, including lino printing, watercolour painting and crochet, it was seaweed pressing that truly ‘stuck.’
“It was something I kept going back to,” she said. “The process is really calming, and it doesn’t have to be perfect each time which helps take away some of the pressure.
“I love being outdoors, and since moving to Pembrokeshire in 2022, I’ve found so much joy in spending time at the beach foraging for treasure and learning more about all the incredible species we have growing here.”
The name of her business came from an unexpected source: a Valentine’s Day card handmade by her partner, a marine biologist. “He painted seaweed on the front with the message ‘I’m frond of you.’ When I decided to set up the business, it was a no-brainer,” she laughed. A frond, the leaf-like structure of seaweed, made the pun the perfect fit.
She began creating in 2024 but sold her first piece in June of this year, starting with mini pressings at £5 and larger pieces at £20. After consulting friends and family to establish fair pricing and launching an Etsy shop, she set herself a goal of attending one market before the year’s end. The ‘Shopping Under The Stars’ Event in Solva became the chance for her to set up her third stall, well exceeding the goal she set for herself.
Her work is now available online via her Etsy store (FrondofYouSeaweed) and in Falcon Boats in St Davids. She hopes to attend more markets in 2026, though buying a house may slow progress. “I also work full-time, so Frond of You doesn’t always get the attention it deserves,” she admitted. “But I’d love to have a full-time creative job in the future; this could be the starting point.”
Seaweed pressing has strengthened her connection with Pembrokeshire’s shoreline. She often heads out in all weathers to explore the strand line and collect washed-up specimens, never harvesting live pieces. Any leftovers become fertiliser for her houseplants and herb garden. “I’m very aware of how fragile our ecosystem is,” she said. “I find that people often overlook seaweed as art especially when it gets between your toes at the beach! Being able to display it in the form of art helps show how delicate and beautiful each tiny piece can be and hopefully will help others see it differently the next time they come across it.”
Her recent beachcombing has revealed surprising finds, including a spotted catshark. The experience underscored ‘how diverse this part of the world is and how important our actions are to help protect it.’ Surrounded by friends working in conservation and local environmental charities, she is keenly aware of seagrass restoration and marine wellbeing.
So far, she has had most success pressing red seaweeds such as Siphoned Featherweed and Sea Oak, though she hopes one day to find a fully intact piece of sea beech; one of her favourites. She also plans to create more scientific pieces featuring species information as her identification skills grow.
Market visitors have inspired new ideas, including greetings cards and professionally printed versions of her work. Drawing from her experiences in local retail, she hopes to create items that are both unique and reflective of what customers love.
But nothing beats the joy of telling people that her artwork is made from real seaweed, not prints. “My favourite part of face-to-face selling is seeing their surprise,” she said. “It makes all the painstaking positioning of each tiny frond worth it.”
With repeat customers, unwavering support from friends and family, and a growing presence in the local creative community, Frond of You Seaweed is quickly becoming a charming fixture in Pembrokeshire’s coastal arts scene.
