The Fish Mobile

When I started posting fish ACEOs last week, I mentioned that I was influenced by a fish mobile hanging in my sunroom. Here are some photos of it. It was given to me years ago as a souvenir by a friend who took a tropical vacation.

The fish I'm using in my ACEOs are all cut from templates; they're not cut freehand. I like using stylized fish shapes. The repetition reinforces the idea that they're of a family and belong together.

I traced around the fish in my mobile to create my templates and then modified the shapes to be:

• easier to cut out
• good sizes to fit within the ACEOs
• recognizable as fish
• pleasing shapes

I'm influenced, too, by Matisse's paper cutouts. I've always liked them. They're cheerful and lively -- full of life and color and movement. His cutouts are playful yet powerful.

Although I don't expect my simple little fishies to be powerful, they are playful. And it's ok to be a serious artist and yet be playful.

See more fishies in my Etsy shop: http://lifeneedsart.etsy.com