The PNW Community Coral Reef
Many years ago I dreamed up the idea of creating a walk through underwater textile exhibit, much like the Crochet Coral Reef through the Institute for Figuring, but also incorporating sea life and making a real attempt at being an immersive experience. I hoped to create a world that would walk visitors through healthy reefs, bleached reefs, and reefs made of discarded plastics. I wanted it to be educational and beautiful.
It didn’t take very long to realize that one person trying to create all of the elements would never finish. Artists that I admired such as Mulyana had an army of talented creatives helping to construct his fantastic underwater installations. I packed away the few pieces that I had created and continued on with creating my coral reefs on canvases and in aquariums.
In 2021, I had the good fortune to attend a fiber art retreat and met Shanna Smith Suttner who had played around with hyperbolic shapes in the past and we started to chat about creating something big. VERY BIG.
Our goal was to create a walk through underwater fiber art exhibition that would feature coral reefs, both healthy and bleached, marine creatures, and items knitted and crocheted with reclaimed plastics to highlight the crisis of plastics in the ocean.
As our reef project enters its fourth year, we are looking ahead to booking new sites as well as a final home for our project. If you are interested in hosting the reef for a temporary or permanent basis, please contact me.
Our next reef installation will be at the Coos Art Museum starting in May, 2025.
