A Breathing Flower: Today’s Watercolor  This is today’s watercolor. Layers of blooming red flowers unfold like a quiet confession. The paint bleeds on its own, the forms are far from perfect-- and perhaps that’s why they feel more real. The purple background blends softly with crimson petals, whispering stories of passion and stillness-- as if breathing in between them. While painting, I was reminded once again: I want to be someone who breathes through art. Each day, I paint. I think. I reflect. And today, with each brushstroke and petal, I felt myself learning how to breathe a little deeper. Sometimes, a painting speaks back to you. I hope this one speaks to someone who needs it today. A delicate watercolor floral piece that captures the quiet beauty of imperfection and emotion. Follow the journey of an artist who learns to breathe through painting, one petal at a time.
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Koi in Motion – Returning to a Series That Still Moves MeThis piece holds a quiet weight for me. On a tall, narrow canvas, vibrant koi fish swim upward through deep, flowing blue. Painted in acrylic, their bodies twist and shimmer—red, gold, white—alive with movement and meaning. This painting was part of one of the very first series I showed after moving to the U.S. I was still trying to settle in—sorting out my legal status, building a new life from the ground up—but I managed to finish this one piece in time for a local gallery show. To my surprise, the response was immediate and sincere. People paused in front of it. Some stared quietly, and the gallery owner came up to me and said: “Can you bring more like this? People love it.” But back then, I couldn’t. There was too much to figure out, too little time to paint. That moment passed—and with it, a small opportunity that I’ve always remembered with a touch of regret. Why koi?Koi are not just beautiful creatures—they’re symbols. In many Asian cultures, they represent strength, resilience, transformation, and perseverance against the current. To me, they reflected everything I was trying to hold on to. In this painting, not every koi swims in the same direction. Some rise. Some pause. Some turn slightly as if considering where to go. Just like us—navigating the same waters, but each with our own pace, purpose, and path. I’m painting koi againNow, I’m finally returning to this series. Not because I feel I have to, but because I want to see what they look like through the eyes of who I’ve become. This time, I’ll paint more freely—with deeper colors, stronger motion, and more space for quiet reflection. I want to capture the feeling of resistance and grace, of stillness and strength. Of what it means to keep swimming, even when the current pulls the other way. ✿ The “Koi in Motion” series is starting again—this time with memory and intention behind every brushstroke. And perhaps, if you've ever felt yourself moving upstream too, these paintings might speak to you as well.  Acrylic koi on canvas—revisiting a series that once marked the beginning of a new life in the U.S. This personal story of resilience, motion, and renewal flows through paint, memory, and the quiet power of fish swimming upstream. Featured in Mills Pond Gallery: “Low Tide 1” and Emotional Connections in ArtThis May, I’m honored to share that my watercolor painting, “Low Tide 1,” has been selected for the group exhibition Between Artist, Artwork and Audience – Emotional Connections in Art at Mills Pond Gallery in St. James, NY. Presented by the Smithtown Township Arts Council, this exhibition runs from May 3 to May 31, 2025, and explores how art creates emotional bridges between artist and viewer.  About the Work – Low Tide 1 
I’m honored to be featured once again in an official article by TBR News Media, this time for my watercolor “Low Tide 1” at Mills Pond Gallery. Over the past few years, TBR has kindly highlighted several of my exhibitions and artistic milestones. Being recognized by a trusted local arts publication not only affirms my path as an artist, but also motivates me to keep creating with sincerity. You can read the latest article here. A Note from the Artist Sometimes, I feel that the very act of painting is like my artwork Low Tide. Majestic nature stands before us in its full grandeur—much like standing in front of a masterpiece in a museum. Imagine yourself before one of Monet’s grand works: you’d likely fall silent, overwhelmed by its sheer presence and beauty.
how the ocean feels too, especially when it swells and crashes with sound and power. It evokes fear, awe, and wonder. Art is the same. But during low tide, we’re suddenly allowed to approach what once felt distant and untouchable. We step onto the ocean floor, where the horizon quietly waits for us to play. We pick up shells, touch stones, walk barefoot through sticky mud. That’s what painting feels like. Instead of standing humbly before a master’s work, we wade into the very sea that the master once adored. We become part of it, not just an observer but a participant. To me, creating art is like playing in the vastness of nature—full of joy and wonder. As an artist, I want to express the beauty of that experience, not just through what is seen, but through the freedom and delight of being within it. Where Nature Meets Imagination: A Story Told Through Ten Paintings Art allows us to walk through unseen worlds—spaces where nature, memory, and dreams weave together in quiet conversations. In my recent collection, ten paintings unfold like chapters of a journey: from the tangible rhythms of the natural world to the imagined landscapes of human resilience and wonder. We begin with the vibrant dance of betta fish, their delicate fins blooming like waterborne flowers. In these first paintings, nature is alive, breathing, and full of elegant motion. The subtle play of colors captures the energy of life itself—both fragile and fierce. Next, we are drawn upward toward a lone nest perched against an infinite sky. Here, life appears small yet enduring, a testament to the quiet bravery it takes to exist within an ever-changing world. The riverbank scenes that follow deepen this reflection, showing how water shapes stones over time, how patience and persistence carve strength into the earth. From the tangible to the imagined, the paintings shift into dreamlike realms: caves lit with mysterious light, glowing rivers, and figures who seem to live between two worlds—the ancient and the eternal. These scenes speak to our own human longing for meaning, connection, and transcendence. Echoes of myth, memory, and nature blend together, blurring the boundary between what is real and what is remembered. Finally, the journey closes with vibrant flowers suspended in rich, cosmic color—a final celebration of life's beauty, even in its most fleeting forms. Together, these ten pieces form more than a gallery. They are a visual meditation on growth, resilience, imagination, and the deep currents that shape both nature and ourselves. In every brushstroke, there is an invitation: to pause, to wonder, and to remember that even the quietest parts of life carry extraordinary stories. A journey through ten paintings where nature, imagination, and memory intertwine. Discover the quiet beauty and resilience woven through Anna's latest art collection. The Quiet Magic of Low Tide – Whispered Stories from the Sea  An artist statement capturing the serene beauty of low tide, where the sea gently reveals hidden paths and invites quiet connection between people and nature. A heartfelt reflection on intimacy, wonder, and the whispered stories of the ocean.  |
Myungja Anna KohArtist 
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