I created this because the design has been in my mind for a long time, so I went back to my sketches of tropical fish and plant life from 1995.

This particular subject matter has interested me since a gal from St. Louis commissioned me to do a special piece for her. I’ve been working on petite pet watercolors lately, and working on this collage has inspired me to keep my designs and color fun and whimsical. I usually get too serious about my work and get involved with details. I start with contour drawings and loosely sketch the fish and plantlife, sticking wih general shapes.

I enjoy the tropical colors, which I think is influenced from living in Miami a couple of years before moving to Iowa. We’re far from the ocean, palm trees, and warm breezes — which I fondly remember when the snow settles in winter.