Vanessa Barragão’s textile art emulates the forms and ecosystems of the ocean. In contrast to the ceramic works of artists like Courtney Mattison, who also explore life in the water, the artist’s material adds a different, flowing texture to these scenes. The yarns are upcycled and the techniques artisanal, as the artist acknowledges the polluting affects of the textile industry.
“Growing up in the seaside, her connection to the ocean is the inspiration for her artworks,” a statement says. “Vanessa Barragão’s work is characterized by her captivating environments of coral reefs, cleverly combining craft and recycled materials into unique and luxurious sculptural carpets and tapestries for floors and walls. Vanessa was born in Albufeira, in the south of Portugal. … [In school] she developed her first wool yarn collection and tapestries through an ecological artisanal process.”
See more of her work below.
Japan-born, Iowa City-based artist 
The embroidered monsters of 