Bermuda’s maritime history was the main focus of a multigenerational origami art competition.

Drift: Origami Art Showcase invited submissions from people of all ages and encouraged participants to be inventive with their messaging and materials.

Noelle Young, who organised the event, said she and the other judges were “genuinely amazed” by the creativity that went into the entries.

She added: “People pushed the boundaries of what origami art could be, while also reflecting deeply on their personal relationships with the ocean.

“It was wonderful to see how many different ways the same theme could be interpreted.”

The competition was held between Ms Young, the Bermuda Society of Arts and environmental group Greenpeace.

The submissions included a host of unusual materials, including sudoku paper and Jell-O.

Nine-year-old Adlae Davey won the Spirit Award for Best Letter to the Ocean.

The youngster’s piece included an open letter thanking the ocean for what it has provided the island.

Adlae said he wanted to focus on the sensations associated with the ocean when putting together his diorama.

He explained: “I had to think about what was in the ocean and what I can see, hear, feel and smell.

“Then I asked my twin friends, Daylen and Jaylen Heaven, to help me with the design.”

Adlae added: “I didn’t want my message on the boat — I wanted it on the front so everyone could read and think about why I didn’t put it on the boat.”

He wanted his piece to inspire people to not discard their litter in the ocean.

“We should treat the ocean as our friend and not our enemy,” he added.

Adlae received a gift certificate for camps or classes with KANS — Kreative Art and Nature for Smallies for winning.

Senior participant Marilyn Stines Sannemalm won in the Fleet and Mini Masterpiece categories.

Her submissions involved multiple boats for the Fleet category, while the Mini Masterpiece dioramas was no bigger than three inches.

Ms Sannemalm said that despite having two books on origami, neither of them gave her any direction on creating boats.

“I had to use Google,” she said.

Ms Sannemalm added: “I have always enjoyed handicraft of all sorts, so when given a reason to create, it just adds to the fervour.”

She said that she was pleased to see the initiative because it raised awareness of ocean health while encouraging creative expression.

Ms Sannemalm said: “I feel it would be helpful if more institutions and businesses promoted themselves through community involvement — it offers such a good feeling.”

She received a gift certificate to Siam Spa for her entries.

Nzingha Ming, the gallery director at BSOA, said that the origami showcase was not only an art exhibition but a “platform for intergenerational expression, environmental reflection and cultural heritage advocacy”.

She added: “The Bermuda Society of Arts was proud to partner with Greenpeace and Noelle Young for the exhibition.

“Our shared mission was to transform the Edinburgh Gallery into a display for the community’s origami boats.

“The exhibition was intimate but the impact was significant. From local students to seniors, the breadth of participation brought a beautiful awareness to our island’s unique relationship with the sea.”