Koi Fish in Motion for Holiday exhibition!

Koi Fish in Motion – Painting What I Love Most for the Holiday Exhibition

​For this holiday exhibition, I painted a small 14-by-11-inch piece featuring koi fish—one of my favorite painting subjects of all time. There’s something endlessly fascinating about koi. To paint them well, you must capture not only their colors and shapes but their vitality, their movement, and the quiet energy of the water that surrounds them.

For this year’s holiday exhibition, artist Anna Koh presents Koi Fish in Motion, a 14x11-inch acrylic painting capturing the beauty and vitality of koi fish. Though not a typical holiday theme, the piece reflects her passion and artistic spirit—reminding viewers that creativity flows beyond seasons.

​In my koi paintings, I simplify the background as much as possible, using layers of rich acrylic color to create depth while allowing the fish themselves to become the main voice of the piece. Each koi seems to move freely, yet harmoniously, within the blue water—almost as if they are performing a silent dance.

My collectors especially love my koi fish paintings. Every time I create one, it finds a new home almost immediately. I sometimes joke that I feel less like an artist and more like a fish seller—because these koi rarely stay with me long enough to hang on my own wall.

This time, I decided to show another koi painting for the holiday season. It’s not a typical Christmas subject—there are no snowy landscapes, pine trees, or ornaments. Yet I wanted to present something that truly represents me. Instead of following seasonal expectations, I chose to follow my heart and paint what I love most.
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I’m curious to see how people will respond to it. Perhaps, even in a season filled with red and green, the shimmering colors of koi fish will remind viewers of life, hope, and movement beneath the surface—something beautiful and timeless, beyond any season.