Now that the site is back to normal, I can fill in some gaps.
So the “Lionfish” art. I noticed the “piece” in my roommates room. He said that yes, he created it, and it was indeed a Lionfish….after the fact.
The Rest Of The Story. It was actually a board that he used to mix a bit of potting soil while planting basil. Only after the fingered soil dried that he noticed the unintentional masterpiece.