About the artist: John Ruhlman is an accomplished Richmond painter who works at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation on water pollution problems. In the summer of 2004, Ruhlman had a one-man show at Sun Trust Bank in Richmond.

Description: Ruhlman turned his shad on its tail, painted it dressed in a waiter’s tuxedo and made it into a floor lamp that really works. His idea was to “shed a little light” on the plight of the American shad and river stewardship.