Tess Felix: Turning Ocean Debris into Thought Provoking Portraits

Tess Felix is a California-based artist who transforms marine plastic pollution into thought-provoking mosaic portraits, creating powerful visual statements about our throwaway culture and its impact on the environment.

A lifelong lover of the ocean, Tess was struck in 2010 when a fierce storm dumped layers of colorful plastic debris along Stinson Beach. She collected the rubbish, which included bottle caps, toy parts, toothbrushes, oyster-farming nets, discarded combs, and was inspired to use it as a palette for art. Rather than painting, she kept each plastic piece in its natural state, assembling them into intricate, layered portraits over weeks or months using silicone adhesive.

Tess FelixScreen Shot 

Her signature series, Ocean Eco Heroes, spotlights environmental activists and advocates such as Beth Terry, Captain Charles Moore, Kelly Slater, and Manuel Maqueda. Each portrait blends playful vibrancy with the gravity of plastic dependency, celebrating individuals working to safeguard the oceans. As Felix explains: “My portraits show a human soul made out of plastic debris… the contrast… suggests that we are part of and responsible for the problem we have created.” (artworksforchange.org)

Felix’s work has featured in solo shows (Stinson Beach Gallery), group exhibitions (including the de Young Open), and in short documentaries like Every Second Breath: Portrait Artist showcased at the International Ocean Film Festival. Despite pandemic delays, she’s remained steadfast - creating upside-down face studies and installation concepts (like a billboard in Malta) while gardening and reflecting at home.

Said Tess:  “When you look at my art from a distance, it looks like a painting, but once you close up, you see... we live in a throwaway culture.” (spacesmag.com), “My portraits show a human soul made out of plastic debris… we are part of and responsible for the problem we created.” (artworksforchange.org)

Tess FelixA Product of Our Environment 

Tess Felix’s mosaic portraits merge artistry and activism, turning everyday ocean plastic into eloquent critiques of consumption and poignant tributes to those working for change. Look closely, and each piece not only reflects a person, but the collective choices of humankind.

The short film Tess Felix: Portrait Artist directed by Cynthia Abbott and Andrea E. Leland has won the Sylvia Earle Ocean Conservation Award at the MY HERO International Film Festival. The Award I sponsored by MacGillivray Freeman Films Educational Foundation's One World One Ocean Campaign

Synopsis: After a major storm, Tess Felix found her local beach covered in plastic debris, making her aware of the magnitude of the plastic pollution in the ocean. Tess’s art form shifted that day. She began to assemble large portraits of her eco heroes from the plastic she collected on the beach. In making these portraits, she not only creates beautiful works of art from items such as discarded plastic toys, lighters, and empty water bottles, but also reminds the viewer of the throwaway culture we live in. Her hope is to inspire us to change our habits and ask ourselves, “How much plastic do we really need to use?”

To find out more about the Sylvia Earle Ocean Conservation Award go to: myhero.com/sylvia-earle-ocean-conservation-award

To find out more about Tess Felix go to: www.tessfelixartist.com