I spent 2 years coming back and forth to this incredibly detailed A5 piece. Mandarinfish are only a few inches long, and this piece blew them up into fascinating detail that I curved, etched and lamented over for years trying to complete it to the satisfaction of the awe they bring me. Since beginning the painting, I hoped to see them during my dive travels in Indonesia and Malaysia with no luck. On my 3rd trip, this time to the Philippines, by happenstance I was located on a reef that they regularly exhibited their sunset mating ritual. Perched around a coral bommie, I finally saw my brush strokes come to life. Not illumintated by the setting sun, but by the short flash of a torch light hoping to not scare them away while us aliens were in their intimate presence. Lucky for us, they didn’t stay shy for long.

* I also learned that it’s hard to wipe your tears underwater when wearing a dive mask while 5m deep.