Being underwater one warm tropical night in August, hovering weightlessly above the sand, became the most memorable night dive in my 20 years of being in the scuba resort business!

The night was a special one, because stony corals orchestrate their spawning activities, for maximum effect, by choosing the same few nights, on and after the new moon in August. Witnessing the release of the spores is absolutely fascinating! It takes place calmly and silently, in the softly waving current. As the coral polyps extend to their maximum , they gently release their gametes; tiny dots, which then gently rise to the surface, to meet their partners, in the resulting ‘soup’ of potential new life.

One expects that the things we remember most in life will be the loud occasions accompanied by fanfare and action, but the privilege of seeing first hand, this quiet bid for a new generation of baby Pillar corals has stayed with me over the years, becoming ever more poignant, as we watch the decline of the coral reefs worldwide.

I was inspired to create a painting in watercolour and mixed media, which attempts to capture the emotion of that event, (that prelude to new life), it’s planetary importance and it’s unexplained wonder. I wanted to convey new hope, that our collective, rising awareness of the plight of coral reefs will allow us to wake up globally, in time to clean up our act with regard to the oceans, rising sea temperatures and overuse of plastics.

I’m hoping for the best chance for every pair of gametes released after the full moon in August, this coming summer.

The painting is painted on heavyweight Arches paper, 22” x 15” with watercolours, inks, acrylics and other mixed media.