‘our changing seas III’, presented from june 18 – august 28, 2016 at the palo alto art center, explores the rapid deterioration of corals from colorful and diverse, to sickened and bleached as a result of human-caused climate change. while the piece celebrates the aspects of a healthy reef, mattison depicts white skeletons of bleached corals surrounding the vibrant pieces in a monumental swirl. ‘there is still time for corals to recover even from the point of bleaching if we act quickly to decrease the threats we impose,’ she says. ‘perhaps if my work can influence viewers to appreciate the fragile beauty of our endangered coral reef ecosystems, we will act more wholeheartedly to help them recover and even thrive.’