Koi Study No. 7 (50 x 50cm)
**Words by Amber L-J**
Like most mornings, I walk to the bottom of my garden with a sense of purpose.
The winter garden has now thawed, and I feel the sun coaxing me out of my dormancy long before I step outside. I gingerly step as to not disturb the chatty birds or the wandering bees. I begin in my slippers, but the temptation to feel the grass underfoot soon becomes a compulsion. I enjoy the tickling sensation on the soles of my feet, and being connected to my surroundings.
I finally get to the fish pond and struggle to make out the dull, distant shapes. I too enjoy the immersion of the water, often thinking to my childhood summers of white sands and clear waters. My eyes scan the water’s surface, as I sprinkle a thin layer of fish food and wait. I watch the orange blur at the bottom of the fish pond manifest into the koi fish who snap up their breakfast hungrily.
The interaction is soothing for me, as a simple relationship which requires so little. In exchange, I receive a private performance of twirling orange bodies reflected in the tumultuous water. The tiny dancers are aware of their talents, and they never fail to parade their beauty for my own enchanted eyes.
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‘Koi Study No. 7’ is part of a series which captures the beauty and energetic life force of the Koi fish. Koi fish are known for their ability to swim against the current and travel upstream, which Japanese culture commemorates; they are symbolic of perseverance and good fortune. From our elevated perspective, we are able to view the calming blue ripples created from the dynamism of the strikingly orange fish. This painting appears as a fixed moment in time, yet it actively feeds into our imagination and fascination.
Lisa Timmerman talks further about her koi fish paintings:
“I was happily studying koi before the pandemic hit & was planning to do a whole series which is why I had all those boards ready for painting. The boards became portraits but my fascination for the koi breaking the surface tension to be able to breath has only intensified & this recognition is really welcome.
What I love about these paintings, if I’m allowed to share my enthusiasm, is the opportunity to focus on the challenge of conveying the two worlds in a slightly abstract way – one below water, one above, to notice the shadows & reflections & the movement of the water and create beautiful colours to describe the concept.”
Recently, these koi fish paintings have been featured in the Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition 2021.
Koi Fish Paintings: Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition 2021
These paintings are available on Lisa’s website.
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