22×30 watercolor
Hawaiian Fishes, as the title implies, depicts only fishes that can be found in Hawaiian waters. This choice gave me some parameters as I decided which fish to include in this painting. Skin diving makes me feel like I’m flying slowly over a very beautiful, alien world. Tropical fish are simply amazing in their variety of gorgeous colors, so they are irresistible as painting subjects. I chose to represent only Hawaiian fish, since Hawaii is where I’ve been diving – so far. Many are favorites of mine, while others are found at depths below my reach. The trick was painting only fish, with no background water showing. This is the same compositional style that I use in all the Wing Series paintings. Thus, they are Hawaiian Fishes all the way down!
Hawaiian Fishes won an award in the “All Creatures Great and Small” juried exhibit at Marin Society of Artists in 2011.
Hawaiian Fishes Identification Chart
- Achilles Tang, Acanthurus Achilles
- Saddlewrasse, Thalassoma duperrey
- Hawaiia Longfin Anthias, Pseudanthias hawaiiensis
- Yellowtail Coris (juvenile), Coris gaimard
- Ewa Fang Blenny, Plagiotremus ewaensis
- Spectacled Parrotfish, Chlorurus perspicillatus
- Bluestripe Pipefish, Doryrhamphus excisus
- Yellow Tang, Zebrasoma flavescens
- Flame Angelfish, Centropyge loricula
- Black Triggerfish, Melichthys niger
- Magnificent Snake Eel, Myrichthys magnificus
- Yellowfin Goatfish, Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
- Fivestripe Wrasse, Thalassoma quinquevittatum
- Oval Chromis (juvenile), Chormis ovalis
- Bicolor Anthias, Pseudanthias bicolor
- Moorish Idol, Zanclus cornutus
- Potter’s Angelfish, Centropyge potteri
- Hawaiian Sergeant, Abudefduf abdominalis
- Peacock Grouper, Cephalopholis argus
- Pinktail Triggerfish, Melichthys vidua
- Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse, Labroides phthirophagus
- Longnose Butterflyfish, Forcipiger flavissimus
- Belted Wrasse, Stethojulis balteata
- Flame Wrasse, Cirrhilabrus jordani
- Eyestripe Surgeonfish, Acanthurus dussumieri
- Zebra Moray Eel, Gymnomuraena zebra
- Spotted Boxfish, Ostracion meleagris
- Bluestripe Butterflyfish, Chaetodon fremblii
- Hawaiian Rock Damselfish, Plectroglyphidodon sindonis
- Gold-ring Surgeonfish, Ctenochaetus strigosus
- Masked Angelfish (male; partially visible under Pinktail fin), Genicanthus personatus
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