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While driving down S. Dixie Highway (US1) on a typical day-to-day commute, you might notice eye-catching Koi mural on the exterior walls of Doc’s Exotic Aquatics located at 12955 SW 85 Ave. Rd. in The Falls area.
The art is the work of world-renowned artist and South Florida resident Hollye Davidson who created the 73- by 15-foot luminous mural.
Koi fish are known throughout the world for their elegance and expressive manner — reasons Davidson selected the three descendants of the carp family for the mural she designed at Doc’s Exotic Aquatics. And she plans for this to be the first of many more.
Davidson has a keen eye for colors and expressionism. Herwork has graced a variety of museums, galleries, and public spaces for years. But lately, she has set her sights on much larger scales where she is able to bring a touch of fine art to the public eye.
Davidson was an artist assistant to Eugine Massin, a well-known artist in Miami, and for many years she experienced working alongside great artists who inspired her. Her artwork has been exhibited in galleries, cultural centers, and art fairs in the United States and abroad, including Galerie Langer in Berlin, Germany; Lowe Art Museum in Coral Gables; Coconut Grove Gallery and Mayfair Gallery in Coconut Grove, and Lemon Sky Gallery in Miami.
Dr. Jeff Murray, owner of Doc’s Exotic Aquatics and a friend of Davidson’s since kindergarten, stayed in touch with her through the years. Known as “the pond doctor,” Murray reached out to Davidson one day and expressed a desire to make a mural for the shop, asking her if she would be interested the project.
He was thrilled when she responded she would love to do the mural. Davidson loves color but has more of an interest in being able to evoke a feeling in a person when they emotionally connect to her work. She strives to bring warmth and joy through her art.
Between the design, picking colors that resonate with meaning, the sketches, and the graphs — she completed the detailed mural in a week. However, the preparation was immensely thought out taking nearly five months overall for it to be the masterpiece we see today. Although many people might be overwhelmed, it is natural for Davidson to work on such a big canvas because many of her canvases have been as large as eight feet tall. Davidson can work small but prefers to work big.
She allows herself to see beyond the surface of the image. In the process of completing the mural, Davidson wanted viewers to feel the fish were jumping toward them.
“If a piece takes you somewhere else, you can touch so many people. With people being so busy these days, it’s a wonderful thing when they can appreciate the art that crosses their path,” Davidson said. “With a mural, I’m able to bring my art to people’s pathways.”
She remembers drawing an art piece when she was 5 years old and proudly sharing her work with her family. When sketching the Koi mural, she found inspiration in trying to understand what it might feel like to move around in the water and the subtleties of being a fish.
“ Koi fish has always been an international sign of hope, beauty, and grace,” she said.
She strongly agrees with protecting the environment and our oceans.
“Since I’ve been drawing these fish, I have a new respect for the ocean and water, and the movement of fish and their life.”
Davidson has a new mural in the mix, which will soon be featured in the heart of Coral Gables. Although she only shared her vision of the next masterpiece, there is a definite takeaway. From now on, people will appreciate taking the stairwell to their workspace. More work can be found through her website at www.hollyedavidson.com.
