This morning I wanted to talk about sources of inspiration that I go to online when I am considering what to do next in creating corals for the PNW Community Coral Reef. The Institute for Figuring , the originators of the idea of a fiber art coral reef, have just opened another satellite reef in Baden Baden Germany and over 40,000 coral pieces were created for the installation. I follow several accounts and hashtags on Instagram that post photos of the various satellite reefs by following #satellitereef #crochetcoralreef #hyperboliccrochetcoralreef #christinewertheim and the account crochetcoralreef. Additionally, I follow non profit groups on Instagram that are alligned with coral and marine conservation and preservation, such as The Ocean Agency. Often times, I will be inspired to create corals from what I see in their photos of actual reefs. Following #coralreef #reef #coralbleaching and #coral will also pull up these images for me. One source of inspiration that might not be so evident are home aquarium accounts. By looking at clean, up close photos of corals in saltwater aquariums, it is easier to see how the corals are structured and thus, easier to figure out how to create them. You can find these accounts through #aquarium #aquariumhobby and #saltwateraquarium.
Finally, think about other artists and artistic disciplines that may create corals. Staying in the world of fiber, Vanessa Barragao’s installations are incredibly inspiring and Mulyana will always be my personal favorite. I have also fallen in love with Courtney Mattison’s ceramic corals.
Hopefully that will give you some eye candy to inspire your next creation!