Original artwork description:

Japanese mermaid (ningyo)
Acrylic on canvas 30x24 inches
Though painted from imagination, anyone who paints can't help but be influenced by other artists, esp the greats.
The style is based on Japanese ukiyo-e woodcuts, the gold silver paint like Gustav klimt, the blue curving shapes like Matisse's late paper cutouts.
But the inspiration came from reading a remarkable novel , 'the mermaid of black conch' by monique roffey, though her mermaid is carribean.
The painting catches the moment when a fisherman drifting in his boat, sees the mermaid Aicayia ('sweet voice ') rise from the deep to look at him, attracted by the music of his guitar.

Materials used:

acrylic