In March my friend Jed Mixter of Jackson, WY caught a 68” arapaima in Guyana and commissioned me for a life size painting. I work in watercolor and I couldn’t find quality paper in this size to suit my style. I spent hours on the internet looking for answers. A few years ago I had fun with pastel and looked into the option of this for my medium on this arapaima. Sure enough I found paper.
My next dilemma was that I’d never caught or handled an arapaima. Jed’s pics were ok but pics do not do a fish justice. You just don’t get a feel for the REAL colors. By miracle, in November I went arapaima fishing and had the great pleasure of holding three of my own. Upon return I was ready for this challenge and I spent the last three weeks completing the monster piece of fish art!
Started with that crazy looking arapaima head.
Just kept on going from there.
Too many scales on these amazing fish!
The tail would be the most challenging artwork of my life!
Ah. . . . Success!
The arapaima was truly coming together after two weeks of consuming our kitchen!
Completed December 28, 2014!
Nice piece Jeff.
Now let’s go have a beer.
I was planning a brew around 4 today. Give me a ring.
Happy new year Jeff. Just finished catching up on your blogs from the past couple of months. Amazing!