Koi Series – Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Where to order your Koi Carp art?

Nine Koi Carps represent unity,

prosperity, & longevity.

Who does not feel enchanted by Koi carps? The way that they gracefully slide through their watery world makes us believe that they represent our thoughts and feelings. These large, but ever so elegant, soft-finned Koi carps swim in freshwater; they appear and disappear, come and go from all directions, like our thoughts during meditation. The more the Koi carps feel relaxed whilst being watched by you, so our thoughts slow down during meditation as we do not engage with our thoughts, but observe them manifesting and disappearing. Koi carps stand for prosperity and success. Their hardy nature has also led to Koi being associated with longevity.

NINE KOI CARPS

Here is another Koi Carp commission. The typical number of Koi fish in a Feng-shui is 9 because it means unity, prosperity and longevity. The number nine represents attainment and completion.

MONOCHROMATIC or GRAPHITE ART

I also accept monochromatic (graphite) Koi carp commissions. Would you miss colour? That depends on what art you prefer and what kind of art decorates your home. Perhaps your home has neutral colours? Or your home is alludes to the 17-18th century? Or you have an earth home with only greys and ocher tones? Monochromatic art is soulful and although colour makes people happy, monochromatic art is without doubt a bit deeper.

Monochromatic Koi Carp Art Work by Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Contact me freely to commission your nine Koi carps. I make a colourful composition for you with measurements of 46-61 cm i.e 18-21 inches because these big fish need space. Compositions with 2 or 3 Koi carps can be smaller in size (and consequently lower in price).

Questions I will ask is whether you prefer accompanying lotus flowers and what colour Koi carps you favour. Also I need to know whether your preferences in relation to its orientation: horizontal (landscape) or vertical (portrait).

See more about commissioning me and its price indication at Etsy.

Paula Kuitenbrouwer

at Etsy & at Instagram

Paula Kuitenbrouwer, Drs. M.A. Paula holds an MA degree in Philosophy and works as an artist in Utrecht. She is the owner of mindfuldrawing.com, a website with academic essays, short articles, and most of all: artworks. Paula’s pen and pencils are always fighting for her attention nevertheless they are best friends; Paula likes her art to be brainy and her essays to be artistic. Contact Paula freely for commissions.

Koi Carp Art Cards by Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Two (2) Koi Carp Art Cards

Two Koi Carp Art Cards by Paula Kuitenbrouwer. They are professionally printed, double folded art cards. They come with matching envelopes. One for keeping: one for sending. There are customers who frame the card. Free shipping.

€18.00

Koi Carp Commission Art

by Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Koi fish represent unity, prosperity, and longevity. For others Koi carp stand for resilience because these carps are strong. Feng Shui practitioners agree that the favored number of fish for your pond or aquarium is best limited to nine because nine stands for prosperity.

(Showing how a commission is made in several steps: from a monochromatic, detailed underdrawing, to the first colours, and several layers of colour later applying a protective spray).

You like to watch slow moving Koi carp? You like their meditative flow? You love Koi carp? Contact me freely should you like to commission a monochromatic drawing or a colourful painting of several Koi carp for your home.

I can paint a Koi carp pond for you with or without lotus-flowers or other water-plants. With as many Koi carps you like, however nine is maximum due to the size of the Arches paper that I work on.

Koi are often associated with elegance, strength of character, perseverance, and accomplishment. But also with meditation; watching them slows the mind. The fish also symbolize good fortune, and prosperity. Their long history and hardy nature has also led to Koi being associated with longevity. Koi carp are one of the most Feng-shui loved animals.

I have drawn and painted Koi carp in different settings, seen through water, from the perspective from outside of a pond, or from a ‘helicopter’ or above view. Contact me freely to discuss your wishes.

I invite you to have a look at my Etsy shop where you find several Koi Carp commissions.

If you can do with some guidance, contact me freely.

With or without lotus flowers, with blue, or orange, or yellow fish, your preferences are important to me.

Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Paula’s shop at Etsy

Two Koi Carp Double Folded Art Cards by Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Two Koi Carps and a lotus flower decorate this lovely card that comes with a matching envelope. Free shipping!

€18.00

Recent & Other related posts:

Graphite Art is Soulful Art: Artwork and Reflections

Graphite Artwork

Graphite drawings (parts of it) by Paula Kuitenbrouwer.

I have been working on large graphite drawings. Whilst the world around me bursts into colour (it is spring here), I find myself turning to graphite artwork more and more. Somehow Dutch 17th century artists, working with graphite, ink and chalk, have me under their spell. I can not get enough of their soulful art. The thing is that I love colours! If the world would fade before my eyes and represent itself as monochromatic, I would cry my heart out. Yet, when I study graphite artworks by 17-18th century landscape artists, one has to admire their beautiful artwork.

We see a drawing more clearly when it is reduced to its essential lines, textures, light, and shadows. Like a philosophical essay: one selects a subject (like a scene or scenery in drawing), adds perspective (like an architectural artist), focuses on an essential aspect or subject (as an artist does), and makes it clear what part of our complex world should receive our moral (in art, our aesthetic) attention.

Work in progress. Under -layers in graphite. The outside border shows oak-leaves. The inside border will hold my brother’s name, date of birth and death in Latin numerals, as well as a Latin text that I find suitable for remembering my brother’s life. The passion flowers allude to my brother’s academic passions which will be worked out in the centre of this large drawing.

I am also working on an In Memoriam drawing for my late brother. I like to share a few observations. First, this is a self-assigned task which I haven’t done before. I had to let the first weeks of grief pass because I needed a calm mind to assemble a composition that celebrates my brother’s life. As soon as I had worked out a composition, I noticed that I had postponed working on it. To my surprise, I found myself somewhat deliberately delaying working on this large drawing that will eventually become a prayer-card, a remembrance card, and an Ex Libris. Why, I asked myself? I am a far stretch from being a procrastinator; procrastinating is not me. Then I knew. I do not want this drawing to be finished, at least not any time soon. I want to stay with the drawing, as if sharing -in mind and in spirit- moments with my late brother.

I know myself well enough; this drawing shall get finished as I will offer it to those who want to have a remembrance card or Ex Libris with my brother’s name on it because this is not about me, but about remembering my kindhearted brother. Yet, I now understand more profoundly why artists add ‘unfinished’ symbols to their artwork: an open book, a broken off branch of a tree, or an open door, to name a few. As long as I am transforming my grief into artwork, I feel less grief, and delaying only shows that one needs time. This is not the kind of art-making that should be hurried.

*Note later added: the Remembrance drawing can be viewed here.

Working on Monochromatic Book Illustrations

Book Illustration Border Paula Kuitenbrouwer

This is a large and ongoing project: creating book illustrations for my daughter’s future publications. I use floral and plant motives and browse through richly illustrated books for inspiration and education.

Illustrations that hold me under their spell are those by William Morris, who himself was inspired by Medieval books. Today we find William Morris and Medieval book illustrations too dense, too busy, because they bombard us visually and we need a bit more calm in our full lives and busy world in order to focus. Despite that I adore William Morris’s work, I plan much calmer and specious illustrations. Nonetheless, Morris’s work inspires me as much as Mother Nature does.

William Morris Books — William Morris Book

More updates shall follow soon. For now, may my fellow artist friends feel a steady flow of inspiration, and wishing all others the very best.

Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Portfolio at Instagram

Commissions and Freehand drawings at Etsy

Have you enjoyed this article? Do you like to contact me for a commission? Please use the contact form.

I have two shops: one at Etsy and one on this website (for art cards only). Contact me freely should you need artwork.

Two cards with Mandarin Ducks Standing on One Leg

Two mandarin duck art cards that are professionally printed with artwork by Paula Kuitenbrouwer. Inside you will find a larger image for framing. They come with matching envelopes. Free shipping. One for sending to a friend: one for you to keep.

€18.00

RECENT AND RELATED ARTICLES

A SYMBOLIC FAMILY PORTRAIT

Commission your Family Portrait

What are your thoughts when you read or hear about a ‘Family Portrait’? A painting in your grandparent’s house? Or a sepia vintage photo? Are you thinking of a window sill of your local photographer showing a family looking their best?

DEFINING A FAMILY PORTRAIT

Most of us think of a visit to a photographer when they are asked about a family portrait. But equally many of us never get that done because of the logistics of having all family members at the same moment looking their best and being in front of a camera. Many portraits therefore remain a dream. There is not so much you can do about that other than perhaps reformulating what a family portrait is.

On my work station three Koi carp appear. The water in which they happily and dynamically swim needs to be added in blue, green and gold.

What happens when we change the definition of a family portrait? What happens if we take away the physical representation of family members and replace them with animals or flowers carrying a symbolic meaning? I did this because during the pandemic lockdown of 2021, I wished for a family portrait. Going through a pandemic is not every day business, it is a anxious time that we will remember for decades to come. But instead of visiting a photographer (which was closed due to lockdown anyway), I set out to draw our family portrait.

SYMBOLICALLY INSPIRED

I chose to paint a Kumamoto Japanese inspired hanging scroll as a way to organize all the symbols that I would use. These Kumamoto hanging scrolls have special designed border areas in which I would add symbolic messages. I chose a Japanese wave pattern for the Tenchi section to show the pandemic because was not the pandemic throwing wave after wave of scary news to us? And wasn’t the pandemic showing us wave after wave gratitude that we were healthy, safe and strong? For the Chumawashi border, I chose flowers. With this I wanted to emphasize that the pandemic lasted several seasons. That despite all scary news, there were many blessed moments too. And for the Tenchi border, I used butterflies. Butterflies symbolize hope and hope is a precious emotion during a pandemic.

Koi Carp symbolize good luck and prosperity. In Japan they symbolize good fortune or luck and are also associated with perseverance in adversity and strength of purpose. In Buddhism they represent courage.

What kind of symbolism do I use? Animals offer symbolism. For instance, Koi carp stand for prosperity; mandarin ducks for love and loyalty. Butterflies symbolize hope. Surnames often offer a reference or a clue. In the borders and in the main painting animals and vegetation will play this symbolic role.

Work done on a traditional wave patterned border.

To portrait our family, I shape-shifted my family in a family of Koi carp. Koi fish symbolize prosperity. If there was one thing during the pandemic that we were acutely aware of, it was that we had each other’s love and that we were able to continue working and studying.

COMMISSION YOUR PORTRAIT

Should you like to have a painting suggesting a hanging scroll that symbolizes your family or your life, I can work with you. We need to discuss symbols, colours and patterns but then you will have your family narrative hanging on your wall. Nobody will know its symbolism; visitors will see a beautiful, highly detailed hanging scroll drawing/painting. You will have a choice to tell or not disclose all hidden symbolism in your family portrait.

Here is my family portrait. I worked on it during the winter 2021. There were many grey days which made the lockdown harder but there were also beautiful snowy days with clear blue skies that made me so happy looking outside. My husband and daughter wondered who was who in this portrait. I decided to leave that questions open. Don’t we all take centre stage in turns? Do we not all play a big role and the next day a small role? Life is like that and it should be like that to create harmony.

A feast for the eye; the ‘hanging scroll’ in full colour and symbolism.

Paula Kuitenbrouwer

COMMISSION YOUR FAMILY PORTRAIT

COMMISSION YOUR FAMILY PORTRAIT

Commission a richly illustrated, symbolic portrait of your family. Discuss your wishes with me via the contact form. Size 18 -24 inches.

€250.00

ART CARDS

Two (2) Koi Carp Art Card

Two professionally printed, double folded art cards which are richly illustrated. One for you and one to send to a friend. Comes with matching envelopes. Artwork by Paula Kuitenbrouwer.

€18.00

Paula’s art shop at Etsy and portfolio at Instagr a m

Koi Carp, Koikarppi, Cyprinus carpio, Koi fiŝo, Niŝikigoi, 비단잉어, Carpa koi

Koi met Vis Vaas

Koi carp, or more specifically nishikigoi are a group of fish that are ornamental varieties of domesticated common carp that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens. Koi carps are mesmerizing. People are willing to pay big money for a pretty carp fish. An ‘Agasi’, the blue koi, is particularly pretty. I think I know why.

Some time ago I sat next to a large pond that was filled with koi with beautiful colours and patterns. I looked at them and looked at them. I sat and sat and got mesmerized. I asked myself why I was so intensely enjoying sitting next to this pond and looking at the slow and gently moving fish? I just didn’t want to go home, I couldn’t get enough of it. Suddenly I understood. The pond with koi had become my thinking. Each koi represented one thought, a thought that lighted up against the dark, deep pond. Thought swam in and out of my mind and koi carp swam in and out of my vision. The more the fish got used to me and I to them, the slower they appeared and disappeared. Simultaneously, my thinking process became a flow; it slowed down and became less demanding. I became aware of my thoughts coming and going, like the koi.

Sitting by the pond and looking at the colourful, smooth swimming fish became a spontaneous meditation. Has this meditation helped me to understand the obsession with koi and the willingness to spend a monthly salary on a beautiful Agasi? Yes, I do understand now, but that doesn’t mean I became obsessed because that is a choice. However, I decided to draw a koi-series to capture the meditation experience in coloured pencil drawings. Every time I look at my drawing I want to feel that meditation again. And I hope others feel it too while looking at my drawing. This happened years ago and I’m still drawing ponds with koi. I still must be mesmerized.

Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Koi Carp Notecards are at Paula’s Etsy

Paula at Instagram