The Art of Khik Weng Keat

  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...

 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...

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...

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...