Koi

I painted "Koi" last summer after doing an art show at the Pagoda in Norfolk. They have a large pond filled with Koi and it inspired me to do the painting. I have always been fascinated with them. I tried a fairly new technique. I "poured" the watercolor paint in the background. This consists of mixing up some liquid watercolors and literally pouring them on to the paper. I then lift the board that the paper is taped to and move it around in different directions. (Sometimes I cheat and take my large round watercolor brush and move the paint.) Then I painted the fish with fluid acrylics. This was tricky because I could not take off any paint that went where it wasn't supposed to.

When I painted this painting it was pretty amazing. I remember it being a very freeing experience. I moved through it so quickly and it was as if the painting was trying to paint itself.

I am very proud of this painting and have received wonderful feedback for it. I put it in the 17th Street Art Festival last year and a couple commissioned me to do it as larger painting (even though this one is 20" X 28".) Just recently I put it in the Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists 1st on-line Art Show and it won best in show!!!

Please feel free to send comments on this painting and any new ones that I post.