Search Results for: COURTNEY MATTISON

Courtney Mattison Debuts New Installation Inspired by Coral Reefs

by CaroPosted on

At first, Colorado based artist Courtney Mattison, who describes herself as a visual learner, began sculpting her elaborate works inspired by sea creatures as a better way of understanding them. But over time, her love and admiration for these organisms evolved into a message about their well being and preservation. Previously featured here on our blog, Mattison hopes that her ceramic sculptures and installations, based on her own photographs of different organisms living in coral reefs, will inspire others to appreciate the beauty of the ocean as she does.

Courtney Mattison Hopes to Inspire Reef Conservation with New Series

by CaroPosted on

If we continue spewing pollution into the atmosphere, our climate will only continue to change, and the oceans will be very different than they are today. Ocean temperatures will rise, and with that, rising PH levels will make the water more acidic. It’s simple chemistry and a sad fact. So how do we solve this problem? Artist and ocean advocate Courtney Mattison has made it the mission of her ceramic sculptures to remind us of the ocean’s beauty and inspire preservation. Her “Changing Seas ” series, previously featured on our blog, is Mattison’s first major work towards this goal.

On View: Courtney Mattison’s “Our Changing Seas III” at the Tang Museum

by Amelia Taylor-HochbergPosted on

Courtney Mattison’s ceramics are clearly inspired and motivated by the ocean — that immense, powerful and precious resource whose details are still largely hidden from us. Self-identifying as both an artist and “ocean advocate,” Mattison has created massive installations, “Our Changing Seas, I-III,” that cover a bio-diverse selection of coral reef forms. Displayed in a gallery, the pieces appear to grow out of the wall, as if miraculously alive in the dry, alien atmosphere. The ceramic medium allows for remarkable ranges in color, spanning the spectrum of actual living coral to the bone-dry, matte whiteness of its dead state. Both versions are present in Mattison’s pieces, reminding us that these entities are desperately in need of preservation. “Our Changing Seas III” is currently on view at the Tang Museum at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Vanessa Barragão’s Textile Oceanscapes

by Andy SmithPosted on

Vanessa Barragão’s textile art emulates the forms and ecosystems of the ocean. In contrast to the ceramic works of artists like Courtney Mattison, who also explore life in the water, the artist’s material adds a different, flowing texture to these scenes. The yarns are upcycled and the techniques artisanal, as the artist acknowledges the polluting affects of the textile industry.

Great West Coast Migration Opening in Seattle’s Roq la Rue Gallery

by Robbie LoweryPosted on


Normally we have to wait until the middle of August for the official Shark Week on cable television. But thanks to PangeaSeed, you can get off your couch and into a gallery or theater for your shark fix, a whole month early. PangeaSeed is using art in a variety of forms to spread awareness and contribute to the preservation of sharks and their habitat. With over 100 artists, the Great West Coast Migration is a touring art show and film festival that will be stopping in six cities down the west coast of the U.S. this summer. Read more about the show after the jump!