Shifting States

Shifting States investigates the delicate balance of marine ecosystems and their vulnerability to environmental changes. Using a shell embedded with serpulid worm tube patterns as the starting point, this work bridges natural history, material transformation, and our connection to the ocean.

The process began with a digital scan of the shell, preserving its intricate details. These forms were split into layers and reconstructed in wood to create molds for casting in glass. The resulting glass sculptures capture the fragile, swirling patterns of calcium carbonate structures, evoking both their natural beauty and their precarious existence in a changing world.

Glass, a material derived from sand, limestone, and soda ash, inherently connects to marine origins. Limestone, often formed from the calcium carbonate of marine organisms, echoes the shells and skeletons of ocean life. The transformative process of glassmaking parallels the shifting chemistry of the oceans, as rising carbon dioxide levels threaten the very organisms that rely on calcium carbonate to survive.

Shifting States reflects on this fragile interplay, with the layered forms symbolizing the metamorphosis of marine organisms like the serpulid worm. Its life cycle—moving from a free-swimming larva to a sedentary adult encased in a calcium carbonate tube—mirrors broader environmental changes, including the acidification of oceans and its effects on marine ecosystems.

This work emphasizes the interconnectedness of natural processes and material transformations, offering a contemplative view of marine life and its precarious future.