Koi in Motion – Returning to a Series That Still Moves Me

Koi in Motion – Returning to a Series That Still Moves Me

This 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.
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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.