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50×40
2018
Moray eel is a nocturnal fish. During the day it sits in a crevice in the coral with its head sticking out and its mouth slowly opening and closing. Despite the menacing appearance and terrible teeth, this “dragon” is almost harmless. The moray eel’s manner of constantly moving the jaws serves it not to intimidate, but to breathe. If you do not make any disturbance to the fish, you can easily sit next to the easel and paint. You can enjoy the view of its surprisingly soft, silky skin.
The moray eel was the calmest of all my models. It was posing phlegmatically for me during both dives. Then a group of hyperactive divers came along, poking the poor fish in the muzzle with action cameras. The moray eel first hunkered down deep into the crevice, and then, at maximum speed, rushed to the next coral hummock. All I had to do was to paint the sunlight, beautifully penetrating through the water.
P.S. Underwater artist Olga Belka thanks the RuDiver diving club in Phuket and invites to diving in Thailand.