So many of these cafes center on increasing awareness about environmental sustainability. I like how Drew Harvell’s talk was focused on the beauty of nature and its fragility, rather than the negative aspects of what humans have done. Her movie was filled with breath-taking shots of marine life, and seeing the real organisms compared to the Blaschka glass pieces was remarkable. I remember seeing glass blowing at the Corning Museum of Glass, but I can’t imagine how this family created such fine details in their works.

I’m curious about how Harvell has attempted to find all the matches of the glass pieces to the real organisms in the ocean. How much have the species changed since the 1860s? Is there any way to create a checklist? While I find her job diving in the reefs fascinating, I wonder if this kind of research is too intrusive on the organisms. I’m sure other people are doing worse things, but is it unethical to chase these beings just to document their existence?

This Blaschka collection also makes me wonder what other goodies Cornell has collecting dust in a box somewhere. I cannot wait to see the display at the Johnson Art Museum, and I hope to revisit the Corning Museum once more, to see what glass artists have done in comparison to these beauties.