Off the Shelf: An Illustrated Exploration of Nova Scotia’s Marine Life by Liz Bateman

The continental shelf surrounding Nova Scotia is a fascinated patchwork of marine habitats, from sunny eelgrass meadows to deepwater coral gardens. The entire Scotian Shelf bioregion is home to a dizzying diversity of marine species, some of which are familiar emblems of Nova Scotia’s fishing heritage, and others, such as the canyon-dwelling bioluminescent fishes, are seldom seen. Off the Shelf is a collection of paintings by Liz Bateman, that document the forms, colours, and personalities of some of the strange and wonderful marine life I have encountered as a biologist while working offshore on surveys and commercial fishing vessels. At-sea encounters with marine life are invaluable for getting a true sense of their colouration while they are still alive and as cold as the seafloor. The vibrant iridescence of fish and other creatures fades quickly out of water, so this series of paintings attempts to capture their animacy and introduce these species.