The Art of Khik Weng Keat

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"

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...

  Benthic Brainstormers , acrylic on canvas, 2020. 30" X 48" Some ocean creatures display what is believed to be a heightened intelligence and cognition, and some species stand out in particular, such as the killer whale and the octopus. The killer whale is a member of the dolphin family, known for their ingenuity. Killer whales are social animals with a complex social structure, which can be comparable to that of elephants and humans. On the other hand, octopuses are thought to be some of the most intelligent invertebrates that they have been made an important example of advanced cognitive evolution in animals. Octopuses have been observed to display a wide range of ingenious activities including tool use and the ability to think and solve problems. The Process The calf of a killer whale is born with a yellowish or orange tint on its belly, which fades to white when it matures. The giant Pacific octopus is one of the most-studied octopus species. The West Indian manatee ( Tr...

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 , acrylic on canvas, 2020. Set of 9, each piece 8" X 8"  Nasty shrimp showdown Nasty Shrimp Showdown, acrylic on canvas, 2020  A showdown ensues between a peacock mantis shrimp ( Odontodactylus scyllarus ) and a tiger pistol shrimp ( Alpheus bellulus ). These crustaceans have their own superpowers: the mantis shrimp had a strong punch that could break hard shells, while the pistol shrimp uses a high-velocity bubble jet to stun its prey. Other creatures are seemingly “attracted” to the clash, including a blue swimmer crab. Toxic treasure hunters Toxic Treasure Hunters, acrylic on canvas, 2020 A blue-ringed octopus ( Hapalocha...

The Mollusc Throne , acrylic on canvas, 2020. 24" X 30" The octopus, squid, cuttlefish and nautilus belong to a class of molluscs called cephalopods, which means “head-foot”, because their arms/legs are located on the base of their heads. In this painting, they share the undersea landscape with various marine creatures such as cowries and a Triton shell, which are also molluscs but under the gastropod (snails and slugs) class. The Process Giant Pacific octopus The opalescent squid ( Doryteuthis opalescens ) is one of the best-known species in the squid family.  Common cuttlefish ( Sepia officinalis ) Chambered nautilus An assortment of jellyfish, including a purple jellyfish and the almost-transparent moon jellyfish ( Aurelia aurita ) Scalloped hammerhead sharks are one of the several species of shark that travel in schools. Artist's notes  The artist explains that life is beautiful yet mysterious, just as shown by his choice of unique creatures in the painting which have...