Meet Ty Williams, a renowned surf artist from Maine and ocean-lover whose work is as coastal as it gets.
His creativity is shaped by the sea, and with a mixed-media approach, Ty brings his classic laid-back, surf aesthetic and love for the coast to his designs. And his sea-inspired collection for tentree doesn’t just give ocean vibes, it gives right back to it.
Every piece from our latest Artist Series featuring the work of Ty Williams plants kelp along BC’s Sunshine Coast, restoring our ocean’s underwater forests. It’s what we like to call “seaforestation” in action, and a tribute to the source of Ty’s inspiration.
Wondering why kelp? Well, kelp is a powerful carbon sink, capturing CO₂ faster than many land based forests. It’s also one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, providing shelter and food for thousands of marine species like fish and sea otters. Not to mention, it absorbs nitrogen and phosphorus to help maintain water quality, counteracts ocean acidification, and even acts as a natural wave breaker, reducing coastal erosion. How many ways can we say we love kelp?
Get to know Ty, his creative process, and how the ocean continues to shape his art (and life) below.
Can you tell us about your connection to nature, especially the ocean, and the role it plays in your life?
The ocean is integral to my well-being. I’m sad when I’m away from it. I feel more grounded when I’m in it. My social circle revolves around the water. Most of my inspiration stems from my experiences in and around the ocean. It’s really the closest thing I have found in my life to a church or a source. And it has been that way for me since I was very small.
The art you created for this Tentree Artist Series helps fund seaforestation efforts through planting kelp. What does ocean restoration/this project mean to you?
Restoration, from what I understand, is the method of replanting kelp and seaweed beds in efforts to combat some of the die-off caused by global warming and human impact. I know that sea forests, much like land forests, do a lot in terms of filtering poisons and harmful gases on the planet. It’s an interesting approach and inspiring to see ideas like this arise.
What inspired you to pursue a career in art?
I have drawn my entire life, but I think it wasn’t until college that someone offered to pay me for a drawing or design that I considered it could be a work path for me. I have spent a lot of my life working in restaurants and making art on the side, and eventually, I just stepped away from the restaurants and fully committed to art. It has its ebbs and flows.
Can you share how your personal journey and your background influenced your creative process as an artist?
I grew up in Maine. Both of my parents are creative people. My dad was an antique dealer, and my mom helped him rehab old historic houses. They also had a restaurant for a period of time on an island off the coast of Maine. I was seeing “thrifty creativity” daily from a very young age. My parents raised my sister and me for a few years in the Caribbean, which definitely made a lasting impact on my aesthetic. So with lots going on and being raised by two wildly inspiring people, I was just drawing all the time. And I still am now a bigger kid. New England as a whole is rich in the arts. I don’t think I could have avoided it.
What are your key sources of inspiration, and how do they influence your creative process?
Surfing, sea exploration, alternative ways of living, or thinking. Old product labels and designs from the past. I grew up going to antique markets with my parents. Books about sharks and Jacques Cousteau were my favourite treasures. When it comes to my process, I have lots of those images around me (I collect too much stuff). But I love looking at things and letting my hands wander with pen and ink.
What do you hope people take away from your work?
I hope people find simple pleasure. For me, simplicity seems like a “far-off” concept these days. Designing and spending time on the water is what keeps me thinking it’s all possible and worth fighting for.
Learn more about Ty by visiting his website or Instagram, and shop his kelp planting collection with tentree today.
