Work of art in ceramic, sculpture, wood, and trash by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". Each year, at least 8.8 million tons of plastics are leaked into the ocean: the equivalent of dumping the contents of one garbage trucks into the ocean every minute. The ocean currents carry this trash and dump it onto beaches. The crisis is of massive proportion. An unprecedented plastic tide has occurred, pervasively affecting the world’s oceans, beaches, coasts, seafloor, animals and ultimately, us.

Work of art in Ceramic Sculpture by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". Coral reefs around the world are dying at an unprecedented rate. Once the coral is dead, the reefs will also die and erode, destroying important marine life spawning and feeding grounds.Chasing Coral is a documentary that inspired this work. The documentary captures visual evidence of coral bleaching, and goes into depth about its causes. Watch it on Netflix.

Work of art in ceramic sculpture, steel, trash by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". Each year, at least 8.8 million tons of plastics are leaked into the ocean: the equivalent of dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute. Unless corrective action is taken, this figure is expected to increase to two trucks per minute by 2030, and four per minute by 2050.The oceans currently hold over 150 million tons of plastic waste.

Work of art in newspaper by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". Fish created from current newspaper headlines about the degradation of the oceans

Work of art in ceramic sculpture and bronze by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". On the main island of Hawaii, the lava flows have created Olivine Tide Pools. In this piece, the spirit of the island known as Pele, a fiery goddess, is saddened by the inability of the human species to as yet claim it’s inheritance of dominion and care of the planet and the oceans.

Work of art in ceramic sculpture, wood and bronze by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". The Sea Otter was hunted to near extinction in the 19th century. Now, thanks to their protected status under the Endangered Species Act & Marine Mammal Protection Act, sea otters are making a comeback in California, Washington, and Alaska. Proof that when people come together and fight for change, there is hope.

Work of art in ceramic and bronze sculptures by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers".

Work of art in ceramic sculpture by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers".

Work of art in Ceramic and bronze (detail of exhibition) by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers".

Work of art in Ceramic Sculpture by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". Biological diversity in the oceans has decreased dramatically in this century. The primary causes for the losses include the destruction of habitats by trawler fishing, pollution and the steady progress of climate change.

Work of art in ceramic sculptures by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers".

Work of art in ceramic, sculpture, wood, and trash by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers".

Work of art in ceramic sculpture and bronze by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". Coral reefs around the world are dying at an increased rate. The Great Barrier Reef, which stretches for 1,400 miles along Australia’s coast, suffered an unprecedented coral bleaching event in the summer of 2016, followed by another bleaching event in 2017. The impact of these two back to back bleaching events has coral reef ecologists documenting that over half the coral has died. The Great Barrier Reef was always considered the most stable and protected reef system in the world, but now we are losing one of the seven wonders of the world for the next generation.

Work of art in ceramic sculpture, plastic by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers".Each year, at least 8.8 million tons of plastics are leaked into the ocean: the equivalent of dumping the contents of one garbage trucks into the ocean every minute. Unless corrective action is taken, this figure is expected to increase to two trucks per minute by 2030, and four per minute by 2050.The oceans currently hold over 150 million tons of plastic waste. If this scenario is allowed to continue, the oceans will contain one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish by 2025, and more plastic than fish by 2050.

Work of art in ceramic, sculpture, and bronze by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". Angelfish are reminders of the sacredness of the sea.

Work of art of gallery detail by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers".

Work of art in ceramic, sculpture, and red velvet by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers".

Work of art in vinyl and post its by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". Interactive art about the environmental threats to the ocean. Called participants to include prayersor ideas, or to speak out

Work of art in ceramic sculpture and wood by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers".