Koi Pond Beverly Hills, California by RD Riccoboni 2007 an abstract post impressionist style painting. The word "koi" comes from Japanese. The original Japanese word koi simply means "carp," including both the dull grey fish and the brightly colored varieties. A homonym of koi means 'love, affection' and koi are therefore symbols of love and friendship in Japan: a good example is the short story Koi-san by Mukoda Kuniko. Koi are believed to have originated from Eastern Asia, Aral, Black and Caspian Seas. Earliest records of Koi have been found in China and have been widely spread in Japan. The ornamental cultivation of carp flourished under the Chinese Qing Dynasty and Japanese Yayoi Period. They are very closely related to goldfish and, in fact, the style of breeding and ornamentation has become very similar, probably through the efforts of Japanese breeders to emulate goldfish. Koi and tattoos of koi are traditionally considered lucky. To order an original portrait of your pet, please contact the artist at director@rdriccoboni.com Artist Statement: Color is the first thing you notice about my work. What makes it 'pop' is the placement of color and texture. My palette is derived from the prismatic colors in the original rainbow flag which represent sexuality, healing, sun, nature, art, harmony, peace and spirit. As a painter I am a visual storyteller. An intuitive message comes when creating the art - perhaps it is playful, calming, erotic, disturbing, political, or even sacred. I like to flirt with the issues and experiences we face in everyday life, the things we do, the buildings we construct and live in and the destination places we congregate and go to that define our lives. Whether positive, humorous, or thought provoking, my work portrays events people relate to while creating a sense of place for the viewer. Randy RD Riccoboni is an insightful, American born artist (California, 1960) influenced by a plethora of sights, sounds, colors, texture