Ray's Gumbo

I was asked to make a coral reef display for the VIP room  of a large Halloween party. The party is called ANBA DLO and it is the yearly bash at the New Orleans Healing Center. My wife owns the space where the VIP area was this year. Anba Dlo is Haitian for 'beneath the water' and the focus this year was conservation and what better way to bring awareness to the reefs of the world than to make one. I had a basic plan but I had no idea how this would turn out.

Started out with blocks of styrofoam glued together using 'Great Stuff' spray foam. I tied the whole thing up with rope until the bonding set. After about an hour, this is what I had.

I just started chipping away foam with the claw of a claw hammer.


I used some more Great Stuff to fill in any gaps and help bond it better


You can't see it but I'm using a wire brush to rough off any smooth factory sides of the foam and do some shaping.


Here, I have already sealed the foam with a water base primer and started the coloring process. I used some 'stone' spray paint in two different colors as well.

This is the reception area for 'AHA'.  Affordable Healing Arts is a shared space business for a community of practitioners of the healing arts. The surround in the center is a sky light above and below. This is where the reef was placed.


A few other decorations were added for the party. Some pre-Mardi Gras items.
Next are a series of shot of the reef. Enjoy!







Yes, it's not what you see if you were snorkeling somewhere but it is colorful and fun and it has a hint of Halloween. There is twisted wire and squishy balls cut in half along with real shells and starfish and sand-dollars. I covered the lower plexi-glass with a silky shear fabric so that a blue light from below would make it look more watery.

And for the topper, a mermaid of course.