blank notecard, fine art quality reproduction of my original watercolor and ink work, the Coral Reef (2023)
Behold! The peacock mantis shrimp. Though they probably saw you first: these critters have outstanding eyesight. They can see more wavelengths of color than we can, so they look even fancier to each other than they do to us. Also known as the harlequin, rainbow, or clown mantis shrimp, Odontodactylus scyllarus lives in the burrows they dig in the base of coral reefs. They are here to represent seeing the unseen and the capacity for extraordinary vision.Their home, the coral reef, is one of the most complex and vulnerable ecosystems on earth. Coral reefs provide habitat for about a quarter of marine life. When a coral reef is thriving, it resembles a colorful, fantastical city full of unique characters playing out their specific roles. Understanding how their roles are interrelated to the whole is part of how we improve the chances of the reefs and their residents thriving. Understanding how human life and industry impacts reef life is critical to protecting these intricate ecosystems. Coral reefs are collapsing under damage from pollution and bleaching resulting from climate change, and they too require our attention and conservation. Please see David Attenbourough’s Life in Color Netflix series, episode Seeing in Color to learn more about the peacock mantis shrimp. To learn more about the mysterious and essential ocean, please listen to Allie Ward’s Ologies podcast, episode Oceanology (https://www.alieward.com/ologies/oceanology) .This piece was commissioned by Stacie Frasier for use on her website https://www.c3catalyst.com/about-the-art with the original to me, the artist.