It was such a joy to be a part of this amazing group of artists who came together to express how they feel about the state of the ocean, with a special emphasis on whales and ocean wild life. All the while keeping the Charles W. Morgan at the heart of the show.

The Morgan is the last wooden whaling ship in the United States and its recent restoration not only renewed interest in the industry that put Mystic Seaport on the map but also re-invented its mission in the process. The Morgan is now a symbol for Ocean and Ocean Life Conservation.

I was lucky to be present and drawing when the masts were raised and put in place in preparation for her 38th voyage along the Eastern Coast. The voyage was not only to showcase The Morgan in her newly restored state but also to raise awareness and rally support for the cause. To read more about this exciting project visit the Mystic Seaport website.

Below are some pictures from the day of the opening. As you’ll see, my family was and always is very close by me.

My piece is called Currents and Currencies. Through sculpture, painting and drawing, I explored how the oceans have been exploited for profit and polluted out of negligence for way too long. And if we don’t take action, the Currency we make from the Currents will only end up sinking us in the end. So, there is the figure of King Midas as a symbol for greed, with a belly full of plastic, draped in a net of gold that I hand-knitted, and with a crown that I made from garbage I found on the beach during a beach clean-up I organized months prior. In fact, about 95% of the piece is made from litter found at the beach and re-used materials I had in my house and studio.

See my other post for photos of my process.