About
Josie Iselin, Ocean’s Edge 3
Above/Below is an ocean literacy campaign to raise awareness about kelp forests across the Northeastern Pacific. This webstory, The Mysterious World of Bull Kelp, is currently the centerpiece of our campaign—celebrating the power of art and science to tell the bull kelp story.
Our mission is to bring a broad coalition into the emerging movement of kelp forest recovery to help change policy, support restoration work, grow local blue economies, and inspire the next generation of ocean stewards.
Above/Below’s creative communications and outreach initiatives have included four art exhibits ranging in location from Big Sur to the Salish Sea, an annual North Coast KelpFest!, a hardcover book published by Heyday Books and illustrated by Ellen Litwiller, and a new webstory about the native Olympia Oyster focusing on San Francisco Bay. The bull kelp story continues to evolve with extensive kelp research and recovery work happening throughout its range. Above/Below is supporting this kelp community by providing a forum for sharing information, case studies, and educational material as well as engaging local communities. The Mysterious World of Bull Kelp webstory is continually striving to meet the needs of this vibrant kelp community as well as serve the general public.
Above/Below believes in the power of art to create a sense of wonder and foster curiosity about the ecology of the ocean’s kelp forests. Art creates spaces for ideas and people to gather, learn, ask questions, and connect. When the art is inspired by bull kelp and its stories—magic happens!
We believe that by combining art and science through creative storytelling strategies, we can share the importance of kelp forests with a broad audience, inspire engagement in local community action, and foster a culture of ocean stewardship over the long term. Please join us!
Above/Below Co-Directors
We are inspired to tell the bull kelp story of our northern Pacific Ocean because we have both grown to love and respect this majestic algal species and the myriad organisms that depend upon it. Its combination of beauty and mystery inspire the artist’s eye and storyteller’s heart. Its combination of resilience with vulnerability activates concern for its important, yet under-recognized, place in the oceans. Through the translucent imagery, thoughtful design, and lyrical storytelling of these pages, we hope to bring a wider swath of the human world into this realm beneath the waves to better understand and engage with the mysterious world of bull kelp.
Josie Iselin is an artist, author, and designer who has been bringing art and science together to tell seaweed and kelp stories for over a decade. Her two books An Ocean Garden: The Secret Life of Seaweed (2014, reprinted 2023) and The Curious World of Seaweed (Heyday 2019), tap her profound understanding of seaweed natural history and her deep connections within the seaweed science community. The Mysterious World of the Bull Kelp Forest is coming (as a hardcover book) from Heyday, in March, 2026. Josie directs content development for the Above/Below campaign and is the lead author of both the campaign’s webstories, The Mysterious World of Bull Kelp and the newest foray into estuarine storytelling, The Alluring World of Olympia Oysters. Josieiselin.com
Marianna Leuschel was the director of L Studio, a communications design agency, for 20 years and currently runs New Agency to develop creative strategies and design campaigns for a range of clients in ocean and land stewardship. She is particularly skilled at envisioning what hasn’t been done and working with multiple stakeholders to create stories about our human relationship to the natural world and our responsibility as stewards. Marianna has spearheaded the creation of the now-annual North Coast KelpFest! and leads the campaign for Above/Below, working with creative teams and partners to generate new ideas for communication outreach and engagement strategies and implementation of campaign initiatives. newagencyca.com
We believe in the power of collaboration. Please join us.
Josie Iselin
Co-Director
josieiselin(at)lovingblind.com
415.577.6545
@josieiselin
Marianna Leuschel
Co-Director
marianna(at)newagencyca.com
415.515.4519
Advisors and Collaborators
Homepage and Character Illustrations by
Ellen Litwiller
artist, muralist and scientific illustrator
All photographers are credited adjacent to their work
General Scientific Advisors
Tristin A. McHugh, The Nature Conservancy
Karina J. Nielsen, Oregon State University
Regional Partners
Central California:
Mark Carr, Moss Landing Marine Labs
Josh Smith, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Northern California:
Bennett Bugbee, Moss Landing Marine Labs
Tristin A. McHugh, The Nature Conservancy
Oregon Coast:
Tom Calvenese, Oregon Kelp Alliance
Peter Hatch, Elakha Alliance
Duncan Berry, Cascade Head Biosphere Reserve
Puget Sound/NW Straits:
Tom Mumford, UW/Friday Harbor Labs
Jodie Toft, Puget Sound Restoration Fund
Dana Oster, Northwest Straits Commission
Washington Coast:
Cathy Pfister, University of Chicago
Tom Mumford, UW/Friday Harbor Labs
British Columbia:
Chris Neufeld, Kelp Rescue (former)
Patrick Martone, University of British Columbia
Maycira Costa/Lauren Man, University of Victoria
Southeast Alaska:
Matt Kern, Barnacle Foods
Jordan Hollarsmith, NOAA Fisheries
Southwest Alaska:
Melissa Good, Alaska Sea Grant
Brenda Konar, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Patrick Saltonstall, Alutiiq Museum
Editorial Advisors
Sarah Allen, National Park Service, Retired Biologist
Rosa Laucci, Tolowa Dee-ni’ Scientific Advisor/Tribal editor
Kathy Ann Miller, UC Berkeley
Creative Team
Civiane Chung, diagrams & digital production
Alexandra Hammond, branding & communications design
Chad Upham, web design & development
Maps
Sea & Shore Solutions, regional maps
Videographers
Sashwa Burrous
Justin Lewis
Translation
Rodrigo Beas, Spanish
This webstory is endorsed by:
2024 recipient of the L.H. Tiffany Award
