Taking the first step in a new adventure is scary. This is new for me, and I’m finding a blank website with an empty blog to be pretty intimidating. So I’ll just jump in and hope, that if it’s terrible, I can fix it later.
I’m a chemistry teacher, scuba diver, and amateur artist, in that order. When COVID-19 hit, I was in the process of shifting my priorities. Like everyone else, my life turned upside down: classes went online, travel opportunities dried up, and I found myself with a LOT of time on my hands. Online chem labs are ok, in a pinch, but I decided didn’t really enjoy education without students. So, I quit my job and started the scary business of reinventing myself.
I threw myself into art. I took countless classes, filled sketchbooks, did studies, played, dabbled, and had a lot of fun. But it didn’t seem to mean anything. It wasn’t fulfilling, like my career had been. I wasn’t looking for income, and the soul-killing effort of self promotion was a non-starter. After thinking long and hard I realized that it wasn’t chemistry that I missed. What I had always loved most was helping non-scientists connect with science in meaningful, approachable ways. I began to wonder if I could use ART to do that. Specifically, use art to teach (and preach) about ocean conservation. As an avid diver, I’ve had the incredible privilege of exploring coral reefs and witnessing their beauty firsthand. But I also see how fragile they are–and how little the average person knows about them. Too often, those who have never seen a reef don’t understand why it matters that we protect them.
I find that, when I paint marine life, I can infuse each creature with personality and emotion–qualities that sometimes get lost in photographs. And the reactions I’ve received tell me that art has a unique power to reach people who might otherwise feel disconnected from the underwater world.
Through this project, I hope to bridge that gap. My mission is simple: to convince people who’ve never seen a coral reel that sea life is beautiful–and worth saving.