Self Portrait with Blue-Ringed Octopus

The octopus is an incredibly intelligent and creative creature, so it felt like a natural choice for this series. The species shown here is the blue-ringed octopus, about the size of a golf ball and one of the deadliest creatures in the sea. It lives in Australia, obviously, where all the tiny deadly things live.

If you look closely, you’ll see the blue rings are present, but they aren’t being displayed. They’re there, just beneath the surface—almost like saying, "I have a superpower under my suit."

For me, this painting is about hope and adaptability. The octopus is capable of changing, adapting, and responding to its surroundings, while carrying something powerful beneath the surface that isn’t always visible.