12 × 12 × 4.5 inch Acrylic, soft pastel, raw canvas, artist made stretcher bars
Kwonny: I first saw ochre sea stars during very low tide in West Seattle. Dozens of plump glistening stars - startlingly purple and sometimes orange - clung onto each other and under the barnacled rocks, their five arms stretching and contorting like rock climbers navigating the most precarious angles. It had been two years since we moved to Washington from across the Pacific and moments like this were beginning to foster a feeling of belonging. Exploring this part of our neighborhood that is normally hidden underwater felt like I was being given a secret to hold. As a new friend and I gingerly stepped across pools of ocean water, I was beginning to build the experiences that would make me feel like a true resident of the PNW. Ten years ago there might have been a lone purple starfish in these same waters, as their population was being decimated by a bacterial disease. They’ve since made a comeback but other starfish species are still struggling. Today when I walk by these same waters I’m reminded of that day and the comfort the ocean gave me. I hope for a future where the ocean is healthier than it is now, full of fish and life, where we give more than we take.
12 × 12 × 4.5 inch Acrylic, soft pastel, raw canvas, artist made stretcher bars
Kwonny: I first saw ochre sea stars during very low tide in West Seattle. Dozens of plump glistening stars - startlingly purple and sometimes orange - clung onto each other and under the barnacled rocks, their five arms stretching and contorting like rock climbers navigating the most precarious angles. It had been two years since we moved to Washington from across the Pacific and moments like this were beginning to foster a feeling of belonging. Exploring this part of our neighborhood that is normally hidden underwater felt like I was being given a secret to hold. As a new friend and I gingerly stepped across pools of ocean water, I was beginning to build the experiences that would make me feel like a true resident of the PNW. Ten years ago there might have been a lone purple starfish in these same waters, as their population was being decimated by a bacterial disease. They’ve since made a comeback but other starfish species are still struggling. Today when I walk by these same waters I’m reminded of that day and the comfort the ocean gave me. I hope for a future where the ocean is healthier than it is now, full of fish and life, where we give more than we take.
