The Art of Khik Weng Keat

  Undersea Mountain , acrylic on canvas, 2024. 16.5" X 24" This painting is inspired by the documentary Wondrous Secrets Of The Ocean Realm: Mountain In The Sea , and depicts Indo-Pacific marine life in a large, mountain-like rock structure called a seamount. Supporting a wide range of biodiversity in the painting, the seamount represents strength and solidity as it withstands the changes in ocean currents caused by eddies. It also symbolizes dreams and hopes in a sea of possibilities. 

  Vibrant Migration , acrylic on canvas, 2024. 24" X 16.5" The artist showcases the five species of sea turtle found in Malaysian waters and places them in a scene inspired by the  sea turtle migration scene from the film, Finding Nemo . The five species are the leatherback ( Penyu Belimbing ); green sea ( Penyu Agar ); hawksbill ( Penyu Karah ); loggerhead ( Penyu Tempayan ); and olive ridley ( Penyu Lipas ). The various species of sea turtles and their young come together follow the current in a migration route, implying their journeys being shaped by similar forces toward a common goal. The "vibrance" refers to the colors of the turtles and the lively activity of the baby turtles.

The artist prepares several 8" X 8" paintings in preparation for an exhibition, showcasing land and sea animals as well as dinosaurs. DENIZENS OF THE DEEP Denizens of the Deep: Humpback Whale , acrylic on canvas, 2021.  8" X 8" Denizens of the Deep: Octopus , acrylic on canvas, 2021.  8" X 8" Denizens of the Deep: Jellyfish , acrylic on canvas, 2021.  8" X 8" SAFARI SIGHTS Safari Sights: Lion , acrylic on canvas, 2021.  8" X 8" Safari Sights: Elephant , acrylic on canvas, 2021.  8" X 8" Safari Sights: Giraffe , acrylic on canvas, 2021.  8" X 8" PREHISTORIC POP ICONS Prehistoric Pop Icons: Brachiosaurus , acrylic on canvas, 2021.  8" X 8" Prehistoric Pop Icons:  Triceratops , acrylic on canvas, 2021.  8" X 8" Prehistoric Pop Icons: Tyrannosaurus Rex , acrylic on canvas, 2021.  8" X 8"

  Legendary Pearl Guardian , acrylic on canvas, 2023. 23" X 18" The weedy sea dragon ( Phyllopteryx taeniolatus ), also called the common sea dragon, inhabits the waters off south and east Australia. This superbly camouflaged fish is usually found in kelp-covered rocky reefs. Compared to the leafy sea dragon, weedy sea dragons have less flamboyant projections and are usually reddish in color with yellow spots. Like its close cousin, the seahorse, the weedy sea dragon is an awkward swimmer and instead will often swirl and drift with the current like a blade of seaweed. As with seahorses, male sea dragons are responsible for childbearing. But instead of a pouch, like seahorses have, male sea dragons have a spongy brood patch on the underside of the tail where females deposit up to 250 bright-pink, pearl-like eggs during mating. The eggs are fertilized during the transfer from the female to the male. The males then incubate the eggs and carry them to term, releasing miniature se...

  Colossal Captivation , acrylic on canvas, 2023. 20" X 30" The painting depicts a colossal squid at the bottom of the deep sea. The squid is shown with bioluminescence - the ability to produce its own light. The squid appears to use its light to captivate its prey of choice: fish. The fish become attracted to the light, and the squid would use its long tentacles to capture the fish. The deep sea background contains hydrothermal vents and tube worms. Like hot springs and geysers on land, hydrothermal vents form in volcanically active areas—often on mid-ocean ridges and release heat and chemicals such as sulphur which cause "smoke" to come out. Hydrothermal vents act as natural plumbing systems that transport heat and chemicals from the interior of the Earth and help regulate global ocean chemistry. Giant tube worms ( Riftia pachyptila ) anchor their tails to an underwater surface and secretes around their bodies a mineral tube, into which they can withdraw their who...

Know Your Position , acrylic on canvas, 2023. 30" X 24" The painting depicts a food web of the ocean, and every creature in this painting has a role to play in this complex food web based on their trophic level, which is their position in the food web. Producers Plankton are aquatic organisms that are unable to swim effectively against currents. There are two types: zooplankton and phytoplankton. Phytoplankton or plant plankton serve as the chief producer in the oceans. They are mostly green due to having chloroplasts, which enables them to carry out photosynthesis. They drift in the ocean's surface to take in sunlight. Low-level consumers Zooplankton or animal plankton comprise of various types of small animals such as fish fry, small invertebrates and their larvae. They usually feed on phytoplankton, which are generally smaller. Corals get their food from algae living in their tissues or by capturing and digesting prey, especially plankton. Most reef-building corals hav...

  Seahorsing Around , acrylic on canvas, 2022. 18" X 18" The fish in the painting are members of the  Syngnathidae family which covers seahorses, sea dragons and pipefishes. The family's name is derived from the Greek words for "fused jaw", which refers to the family's long snouts and small mouths. Fish of this family are commonly found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide. They do not have pelvic fins and had thick plates of bony armor which make their bodies rigid. This fish family is also known for its unique parental strategy: after the females lay eggs, the males then fertilize and carry the eggs until they hatch.  The 54 species of seahorses belong to the genus Hippocampus . The species shown in the top left of the painting is a spotted or yellow seahorse ( Hippocampus kuda ). It is widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific region, where they can be found in various shallow-water habitats such as estuaries, lagoons, harbors, and coastal seagrass bed...

 ANCIENT AQUARIUM The oceans of our planet were formed long before humans, dinosaurs and even life itself existed: around 3.8 billion years ago. Life began appearing on Earth around 3.77 billion years ago and they have evolved in Earth's oceans throughout the course of billions of years. The world's oceans have foreseen the evolution of life in a myriad of shapes and forms throughout the Phanerozoic eon, and despite the various mass extinctions that occur, the struggle for survival continues there. Ancient Aquarium , acrylic on canvas, 2021. Set of 9, each piece 8" X 8"  Orthocones Giant Orthocone , acrylic on canvas, 2021 Orthocones are a group of cephalopods (a family which also includes squid and cuttlefish) which are known for their straight shells, a characteristic where the family name came from. Orthocones lived from the late Cambrian to the late Triassic (509 to 201 million years ago), but were very common during the early Paleozoic era, especially in the Ordo...

  Camouflage Reef , acrylic on canvas, 2021. 24" X 18" Some unique animals of the oceans use camouflage as a means to hunt prey or to escape from predators by blending into their environment in various ways, namely the: Leafy sea dragon Harlequin ghost pipefish Pygmy seahorse Reef stonefish Giant Pacific octopus Hairy frogfish Smooth box crab Turbot Whitemargin stargazer

 THE CUTTLE COUNCIL The Cuttle Council , acrylic on canvas, 2021. 24” X 18” Cuttlefish are members of the cephalopod family, which also includes the squid and octopus. They are well-known for their ability to change the color of their skin in the blink of an eye using special, color-changing cells called chromatophores. These color changes are a method of communication for these cephalopods and can also be used by them for camouflage in order to hunt prey or escape from predators.  There are nine types of cuttlefish in this painting, and some of them are closely related although they are not "true" cuttlefish. Australian giant cuttlefish ( Sepia apama ) The Australian giant cuttlefish is the largest member of the cuttlefish family, and it is found in southern Australian waters. Common cuttlefish ( Sepia officinalis ) The common cuttlefish is one of the best-known species of cuttlefish. This species lives in the Mediterranean, Baltic and North Seas of Europe. The shade of brow...

COLORS OF THE DEEP The depths of the oceans are full of color: it is filled with various colorful creatures and brightly-colored environments. Some of these colorful creatures are unique and have special features which distinguish themselves from each other and even help them in their fight for survival in such a competitive world.  Colors of the Deep Vol. 2 , acrylic on canvas, 2021. Set of 9, each piece 8" X 8"  Seahorses Hippocamp Trio, acrylic on canvas, 2021. There are 46 known species of seahorse, and three species are featured in this painting: the Sindonis seahorse ( Hippocampus sindonis , left), the pot-belly seahorse ( Hippocampus abdominalis , foreground) and the pygmy seahorse ( Hippocampus bargibanti , top right). The pot-belly seahorse is one of the biggest members of the seahorse family, while the pygmy seahorse is the smallest. The Sindonis seahorse, known for its bright red coloration, is native to waters off Japan. The pygmy seahorse comes in a variety of co...