The Koi Pond at Twilight

When the moon touches water, even koi become light. 

Some paintings begin as colours, but end as feelings. This koi pond was one of those - and it wasn't just mine. Jane painted the background first, filling the canvas with deep reds and purples. Then I added the koi and lily pads, letting them swim through the dreamy water she had created. 

I've always been drawn to koi ponds. The way koi glide slowly under lily pads feels like poetry in motion. Their slow, graceful movements remind me of peace. But this time, the magic began with Jane. Her playful strokes become the water itself, and it felt natural for me to add koi drifting gently across her coours -  like her joy had turned into a pond for them to live in. 

The background was all Jane's - free, bold, and full of feeling. I loved how her colours blended, almost like twilight falling into water. On top of that, I painted the lily pads and pale koi, adding little ripples and a faint moon reflection. Together, it became a shared canvas of mother and daughter - her freedom and my details joining into one story. 

To me, this painting insnt just about koi. It's about collaboration, about sharing creativity with Jane. She reminds me to play, to be bold, while I bring in patience and details. The koi gliding across her colours are like our connection - moving together, at our own pace. 

This koi pond is more than paint on canvas; it's a memory of Jane, stitched into colours and water. One day, I hope she'll look back and see that her art was the heart of this piece. 

Have you ever created something side by side with someone you love?