Missing

Rising temperatures have changed our oceans, filling them with ghosts. Some species die off for lack of food or because of the inhospitable environment. Others leave their typical habitat in search of cooler temperatures.

Their absence alters the ecosystem.

Sometimes we notice what's missing, like when coral dies and loses its color, or fisheries collapse and the industries that depend on them start to feel the impact. Still, we let those species go and learn to depend on others.

We tell ourselves "there are plenty more fish in the sea".

I wonder if we'll notice when that's no longer true.

I used the back side of the fabric to create the faded versions of fish. The ghosts are stitched into the background with free-motion quilting.

Technical Details:

36x24 in

hand-dyed and commercial fabrics

raw edge applique and hand guided machine quilting