It's not only nature that inspires art, but also the peril that much of nature faces thanks to irresponsible human activity, and the fragility and beauty that deserves to be protected.
That's what inspires artist and environmental advocate Courtney Mattison, who creates installation art with a message.
Like the underwater sculptures that make people confront the dangers of climate change, Courtney's pieces make us acutely aware of the millions of creatures, including humans, that are affected every day by environmental destruction.
Courtney's latest piece, Aqueduct, shows all kinds of colorful coral, sponges, and sea anemones growing out of what looks like an air duct. All the pieces, including the duct grate, are handmade in porcelain.
The piece is about how creatures migrate to new places when their original habitats are destroyed, and make us imagine where they might go. And her other work also deals with ocean life and how humans and oceans affect one another.
Check out Aqueduct below, and marvel at the detail Courtney is able to create using ceramic — and remember that while the oceans might be unseen to us, they're full of diverse and beautiful life that deserves protection.
[H/T: Colossal]
Aqueduct imagines the migration of sea life into new and strange places as their original homes become uninhabitable thanks to human activity.
The colorful installation, made of groups of porcelain corals, is beautiful, but also a little unsettling if you imagine them slowly encroaching on your space.
Each coral, sponge, and anemone has been carefully handcrafted and glazed to look realistic. Many of us don't see coral like this on a daily basis, so the sculpture also reminds us of the surprising diversity of life in the ocean.
Coral reefs have always fascinated people with their beauty, diversity, and even their danger (many corals have spines and venom for protection).
She wants people to remember how important they are for many, many species of ocean life, and how our actions have direct, negative effects on them.
She hopes that her art will make people remember the importance of reefs and the danger that they are in.
She creates the corals and creatures using her hands and simple tools like chopsticks. Like a real reef, her sculptures are made up of many tiny pieces built up into a larger whole.
For Aqueduct, she also created this air duct vent out of porcelain.
She likes working with porcelain for symbolic reasons: porcelain glazes are made of calcium carbonate, the same chemical compound that makes up coral reefs. And like coral, porcelain is brittle and delicate, and must be handled with extreme care.
And Courtney knows what she's talking about when it comes to coral, too. She has an interdisciplinary degree in ceramic sculpture and marine ecology.
Using knowledge from both fields, she works to raise awareness of the needs of our planet, and hopes to inspire people to treat the Earth with more care and respect.
She refers to herself as an "artivist" or an artist-activist, and art is her way of helping an environmental cause.
True to her environmental beliefs, Courtney also practices sustainable habits in her studio. Kilns require a lot of energy, so she's careful to only fire them if they're full to capacity. She also recycles and reuses materials as much as possible.
So far, Courtney's installations have been displayed at art and science venues alike, where they serve as educational tools for viewers, helping them better understand how the way life on our planet is closely interconnected.
You can see more of her work on her website, and keep up with her latest projects on Facebook and Instagram. And to help keep our oceans safe, be sure to SHARE this beautiful work with the world!
