Beneath the glassy surface, the koi had their own dramas, rivalries, and over-the-top fish gossip.

Reginald, the largest and most outrageously orange of them all, was convinced he ruled the pond. Every morning, he dramatically swished his tail past the lily pads, surveying his kingdom.

Madame Bubbles, a shimmering golden koi with impeccable manners, found him utterly exhausting. “Honestly, Reginald, it’s just a pond,” she sighed, watching as he tried (and failed) to intimidate a frog.

Meanwhile, the younger koi spent their days racing through beams of refracted sunlight, convinced they were speed champions. The dragonflies placed bets from above.

And every evening, just as the water turned lavender with the fading sky, the entire koi clan gathered—floating in silent harmony beneath the stars. A peaceful, glittering retreat from their daily antics.

Because, in the end, even the most chaotic fish knew: life in the koi pond was spectacular.

24” x 60”, oil on Belgium linen