This monstrous little mermaid was partly inspired by the writings of HP Lovecraft, and partly by a fascinating sea creature: a ghostly white octopus found a mile and a half under the sea, in the frozen, black, and crushing depths at the bottom of the Antarctic Ocean. There they cluster around vents of volcanically-heated water erupting from under the seabed.

That’s about as extreme as it gets. If we tried to visit we'd be simultaneously boiled, frozen, and flattened.

So my Antarctic Octopus mermaid is a force to be reckoned with: pictured here resting sweetly on the skull of a much larger foe that she vanquished before breakfast.

(And yes, hydrothermal vents *should* of course go straight up, because they are hot. But for the sake of artistic license, please imagine there are very strong currents around.

Very strong. Thank you.)



21x29cms, acrylics and gold leaf,, digitally-added frame.

Prints and pretty things here:

www.redbubble.com/people/bohem…



2016 Soni Alcorn-Hender

