Otherworldly

24″ x 24″ acrylic on canvas. Hand signed and dated on the back.

I’ve always wanted to paint an octopus, and my opportunity came when I was invited to partake in an Aquatic-themed art show in Toronto.

Something about Toronto’s art scene inspired me to get a little weird rather than realistic. Inspired by the cute yet lethal blue ringed octopus, this one is covered in hypnotic blue rings decorating its interwoven tentacles.

Before I put paint to canvas, I took the time to figure out how to methodically knot the tentacles on an invisible grid pattern. It took some trial and error to make them look natural and not too angled as they followed the grid design.

I also enjoy the theory that octopi are actually aliens, and I think the rings combined with the math bring that to life quite nicely.