Drifters
by Kathy Hodge & Chrissy Hernandez, PhD
Above: “Zooplankton” — Kathy Hodge
Drifters is a series of works that explores the beauty of plankton, microscopic organisms that populate our oceans.
MEDIUM
Drawings, pastels, egg tempera paintings, large oil/panel triptych
PIECES
About ten drawings and pastels, eight egg tempera paintings, three large paintings comprising a triptych
TOPIC
Atlantic bluefin tuna larvae in a recently-discovered spawning ground
LOCATION
Area of research is the Slope Sea region of the North Atlantic. Area of impact is many parts of the Atlantic Ocean
“Mackerel Larvae and Ototlith” — Kathy Hodge
“Larval Tuna” — Kathy Hodge
“Red Snapper Larva” — Kathy Hodge
“Zooplankton over Waves” — Kathy Hodge
“Strawberry Squid (Red)” — Kathy Hodge
“Glass Squids” — Kathy Hodge
“Strawberry Squid (Blue)” — Kathy Hodge
“Drifters (Detail)” — Kathy Hodge
Kathy’s Experience
My Synergy partner, MIT-WHOI scientist Chrissy Hernandez, has been studying the effects of currents and ocean temperature on larval fish populations, and has focused in the last few years on whether bluefin tuna were spawning off the North Atlantic coast. Due to the pandemic, I could not visit WHOI and observe larval tuna directly, so I began to collect and study other plankton samples from the coast, (larval fish are plankton in early stages) which has opened up the world of the “drifters,” microscopic ocean life that moves with the currents.
Gathering information from Chrissy’s thesis presentation, her charts and graphs, and our conversations online, I am incorporating all these elements into a large 3-panel painting (each panel 80”x30”). The many studies I am doing, in graphite and egg tempera, are also part of the project.
Did you know?
Tuna larvae grow rapidly, and they begin hunting down and eating other fish larvae as early as 7 days old.
A Team Effort
“Drifters Triptych” — Kathy Hodge
Along this journey, I have learned a tremendous amount about the hidden life of the ocean, how ocean currents affect that life and how we may be affecting the ocean environment to the detriment of the balance of life. Chrissy checks my work in progress and lets me know if it rings true scientifically, and answers any questions that come up in my explorations.
I hope to be able to communicate the importance of exploring the unknown, even deep into the sea. I would like to draw attention to the importance of what lies below the surface which, due to size, depth or darkness, is yet unseen and undiscovered, and how all are connected and critical to life on the planet on so many levels.
Behind the Scenes
Check out this clip to hear Kathy talk about her journey to bring the ideas of Chrissy’s research to life through her artwork.
What’s Next?
I would hope that our artwork can be exhibited in venues that would attract those interested in art, and in science, conservation, nature, and of course, the ocean. I hope that after exhibiting the finished artwork as part of the Synergy II project it can be donated to an educational organization that can use it as a learning and discovery portal.
In this time of pandemics and climate change, what we discover just might save us.
Kathy & Chrissy
To find out more about the artist and scientist who are behind this project, visit their section of the Artists & Scientists page via the link below.