It seems, all ways in the Pacific Northwest led to water, – dripping, flowing, deep, thundering down, sweet or salty, or as wide as the eye can see. I live on the “We(s)t Side” of Washington State, the Salish Sea and Puget Sound with all its Islands are just a short distance away. I go on a ferry and feel instantly on vacation.

Whidbey Island is of great interest to me, as the diversity of aquatic life is enormous. Especially around Deception Pass, we have extensive kelp forests. These cool-climate underwater forests are famous for their ability to harbor fish, seals and the most adorable creatures, sea otter.

But with global warming, our kelp forests are struggling. As the ocean temperatures are rising, new inhabitants are moving up further north. One of them is the purple sea urchin. They can eat and destroy very quickly the seabed of the kelp and eel grasses, both necessary for harboring young salmon and other fish.

I hope the culinary world puts these little purple intruders in greater numbers on the menu, as they are very tasty. If you can’t beat them, eat them?

Water World
20″ x 40″”
Cotton whole cloth, screen printed with fiber-reactive dyes, sheer fabrics, shiny, silver-lame, details hand painted with Tsukineko Ink, stitched by machine.