Reflection

Growing up in coastal areas my whole life, I’ve always had a tranquil, almost therapeutic connection to the ocean. Driving with my mom, playing calm music, and watching the glistening waves always helped untangle my thoughts. However, during my freshman Environmental Earth Science class, we learned about the effects of climate change on oceans, especially coral reefs. In a phenomenon called coral bleaching, rising ocean temperatures expel the algae living in coral reefs' tissues, turning them ghostly white and destroying habitats for countless marine species. Seeing images of once-vibrant reefs reduced to dull, lifeless skeletons shocked me, and I wanted to capture that devastation. Fascinators, with their intricate and eye-catching beauty, were the perfect medium. After painting the design with saturated colors, I sprayed it almost entirely white to reflect the sharp contrast of coral reefs losing their color. Overall, this has been my boldest, most creative project so far. It gave me a deep sense of pride to use art not just for beauty, but as a form of rebellion. We often picture coral reefs to be these colorful, euphoric paradises. But I want my piece to reveal the true state of more than 83% of the world’s coral reefs. Only by facing this reality can we begin to take serious action.