The Art of Khik Weng Keat

 CAPTIVATING CATCH The wide variety of fish is not only limited to the wide oceans. In fresh water, fish had also spread into a large array of shapes and forms. Some evolved hard scales for protection while others had adapted to air breathing to survive longer during dry seasons. Some also evolved weird features to get around and look for food, and some remained unchanged since ancient times. These fish are some of the most popular large fish known to have lived in fresh water. Captivating Catch , acrylic on canvas, 2021. Set of 9, each piece 8" X 8"  Mekong Giant Catfish Mekong Giants , acrylic on canvas, 2021 The Mekong river, a long river that flows through five Asian countries (China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam), is home to several species of large fish. One of them is the massive Mekong giant catfish ( Pangasianodon gigas ). Unlike other catfish, the Mekong giant catfish lacked barbels (whiskers) and teeth. It is known to grow very quickly and attain a maximum ...

TINTS OF THE TANK  Like the diverse marine life, freshwater life including various species of fish come in a spectrum of colors, shapes and sizes. Some of these freshwater life are widely sought after as pets for their beauty. This collection showcases some of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish. Tints of the Tank , acrylic on canvas, 2020. Set of 9, each piece 8" X 8"  Galaxy Crayfish Galaxy Crayfish, acrylic on canvas, 2020. The galaxy crayfish ( Cherax pulcher ) is a newly-discovered species of crayfish which can be found in western New Guinea. The vivid and fancy coloration on the crayfish is said to resemble celestial objects and phenomena, hence the name. The crayfish in the painting is accompanied by a pair of neon tetras. Comet Goldfish Original Goldfish, acrylic on canvas, 2020. The comet goldfish is one of the breeds of goldfish which is the closest in relation to the original common goldfish. It can be differentiated from the common goldfish for its long, sin...

  Miracle Bonding , acrylic on canvas, 2019. 12" x 9.5". The Siamese fighting fish ( Betta splendens ) is a popular aquarium fish known for their highly aggressive and territorial nature. Normally, these fish usually attack other members of the same species and sex if they are very close. However, the painting shows a situation when the fish are not actually fighting at all. This is said to be a miracle bonding (as not all male fighting fish react aggressively to other males, except under certain circumstances), or the pair of fish may have been of different sexes.

Thrilling Trench , acrylic on canvas, 2020. 30" X 61" The ocean trenches are some of the most extreme environments in the world, and the intense darkness and pressure in the area shaped its life into some of the most unusual creatures to have ever lived on the planet. They range from fish with fearsome features that glow in the dark to invertebrates which are easily adapted to these extreme conditions by having a range of weird features. The Process The black swallower ( Chiasmodon niger ) is a fish that is known for its ability to swallow prey over twice its length and ten times its mass. The silver chimaera ( Chimaera phantasma ) is a deep-dwelling fish related to sharks. It is also nicknamed the "ghost shark". The crusty nautilus ( Allonautilus scrobiculatus ) is a cousin of the chambered nautilus known for its thick, rough-looking shell. Sloane's viper fish ( Chauliodus sloani ) is a species of viper fish that can be easily identified by its fanged, snake-li...