Image of - Koi Pond at Sherman Gardens

Koi Pond at Sherman Gardens

2018
71cm x 81cm / 28in x 32in
Oil on Linen
$3800
Purchase
Once again at Sherman Gardens in Corona del Mar, I went into their greenhouse, where there is a small but perfectly composed koi pond.  The glass house was reflecting in the dark water, creating a dance of light on dark, with the accent of colorful fish swimming, I was fascinated.  How to paint this movement?  I took one photo and did a few line sketches of the direction of the changes.  Once in the studio, surprisingly, the painting came easily, starting with the deep green/ochre/umber dark water, then adding the color that provided the movement.  Some leaves hung over the pond to give scale, and the final quick brushstrokes of white provided the reflections. The result is a serene painting, we can almost feel the fish moving across the canvas...