When I first started this process, one of my goals was to create art that educated and inspired people to protect and advocate for coral reefs. I wanted the sculptures to be viewed from all angles to have it feel like you are swimming around the piece, like you would when snorkeling or scuba diving. Most beginner snorkelers going to tourist destinations can identify fish but are less familiar with benthic organisms, or organisms living on the sea floor. They are often the ones people miss or don’t know enough about to identify. People often think of reef fish when they think of coral reefs, but benthic organisms often go unnoticed even though they are crucial to the ecosystem. For this reason, I wanted the focus of the sculptures to be on benthic organisms of coral reefs.

I chose to focus on three distinct coral reef ecosystems around the globe: the Indo-Pacific, the Caribbean, and the Hawaiian Islands. By comparing each location, I wanted to highlight regional differences in coral reefs and the variability in local stressors to each environment. There are also environmental stressors that are common among all regions I wanted to highlight. For example, increasing temperature due to climate change is increasing the severity and frequency of coral bleaching, which is a worldwide threat to coral reef ecosystems. Some key takeaways I want the viewer to grasp are:

• Stony corals provide the structures needed for other species to exist and thrive

• Biodiversity is essential to the health of coral reefs

• Different regions are affected differently with climate change