My koi are not painted, but printed, using silk screen inks designed for textiles. Printing gives them a uniformity, and allows me to focus on the way they move through water and interact with each other and their surroundings. Each print is a four-step process. I begin with mixing the background shade and rolling it out onto the linen. Initially, I started with lighter, almost swimming pool colors, but as this summer began to heat up and I spent more time on my paddle board, later versions deepened to the cool greens and deep blues we see here in upstate NY. From there, I print the “ghost” of the koi, letting the fish tell me how they would move from shadow to light, how they would become a scrum when fed. The distinctive golden orange is stenciled to get the coverage I want, with the final print being the black details.
As a word person, I’ve always been obsessed with the collective nouns that we attribute to animal groupings. A school of fish has been an apt place for me to begin this new journey as I have learned through trial and error how to work through an obsession - to see light and movement and balance through the application of ink on canvas.
The koi prints are on linen canvases that can be mounted on stretcher frames, traditionally framed, or hung on curtain hardware.
I can do custom sizes and backgrounds. Please contact me directly for purchase inquiries. robin@mimby.us
