Butterflies, Birds & Wildlife · horizontal

Surfacing: Koi Among Reflections

A close view of several koi swimming just under the surface of a pond. A yellow-orange fish with its mouth at the waterline is in the center, a pink fish is on the left, and a pale gold fish is above. The blue water carries red, green and cream reflections, small bubbles, and translucent fins, and the whole image has a brushed, painterly finish.

A close, low-angle view of koi that makes you feel you are leaning over the water. The bright yellow-orange head breaks the surface in the middle of blue, red and cream reflections, so the fish and the reflected sky and leaves blend into one picture. The soft, brushed finish makes it read like a painting, and the colour is warm against cool: orange and pink on blue. Most koi art shows the fish as a clear subject on plain water. Here the water is part of the subject.

Artwork by Omaste Witkowski