Artist Statement:
Out of The Water is a project that was inspired by going to the ocean in Manarola and also my passion for conservation. When researching more about the Arno River and how it filters into the sea it reminded me of my home town in Iowa and how the Mississippi also filters into the ocean. Similarly, both rivers contribute to pollution in our oceans. On the same note, I had just experienced swimming in the ocean and fell even more in love with how vast and magnificent it is. When creating these coral tiles I gained even more of an appreciation of mother nature and was able to share them in a way that others could also share my wonder as well. I traveled all around the city center in Florence asking people to hold one of my coral tiles and allow me to take a photo of their hands. The addition of the notion of holding and carrying was very important for me to highlight in this photo series. I felt that adding this extra layer of interaction was something I could share with others to hopefully make the experience more memorable.
