Swimming with the Parrot Fish, 24 x 30 in., Acrylic, Canvas, 2013

Swimming With the Parrot Fish, is a compelling piece of artwork by renowned artist, Rossi Kelton, a master of acrylic-based mediums. In the piece, Kelton employs the use of acrylic crackle paste, a versatile material that has become her signature style. The medium allows her to create fascinating textures, dynamic shapes, and a depth in her work that is usually seen in sculptural forms rather than flat canvases.

Kelton's piece mimics the shimmering, colorful, and almost surreal world beneath the sea surface. The title of the work, Swimming with the Parrot Fish, gives us a clue to the subject of the mosaic abstract: a Parrot Fish gliding through vibrant aquatic flora and fauna. Parrot Fish, known for their brilliant colors and patterns, are a fitting subject for Kelton's abstract style.

The acrylic crackle paste Kelton uses imparts an intriguing effect that recalls the shimmering surface of the sea or perhaps the intricate patterns of fish scales. The artist masterfully manipulates the material to generate an interplay of texture and light, imbuing the work with a sense of movement and life.

The work can be likened to a mosaic due to the distinct shards of color that seem to tessellate across the canvas. These fragments of color - blues, greens, yellows, and a vibrant assortment of tropical hues - coalesce to form the overarching image of the Parrot Fish. Yet, each piece can also be appreciated in isolation, an abstract representation of underwater marvels.

Swimming With the Parrot Fish is an ingenious celebration of the ocean's vivid tapestry of life. As your eyes travel across the canvas, you are drawn into a kinetic dance of color and texture, almost able to feel the undulation of the water and the darting movements of the fish. The variegated crackle texture brings a tactile element to the work, adding to its overall depth and dynamism.

The Parrot Fish, abstracted to a mosaic of colors, is a brilliant focal point. Its form is suggested rather than detailed, a bold, swirling mass of blues and greens, with hints of pinks and purples that recall the unique and beautiful patterns of the species. It embodies an abstract representation of natural beauty, blending harmoniously with the aquatic tableau that surrounds it.

Kelton's Swimming with the Parrot Fish is more than just a representation of marine life; it's an invitation to dive beneath the surface, to explore the wondrous and complex ecosystems that thrive in our oceans. Through the strategic use of acrylic crackle paste, Kelton has not only created a visually stunning piece but also ignited a conversation about the importance of biodiversity, the beauty of our natural world, and the integral role that art plays in its preservation.