At first glance, the vibrant blue-banded goby looks like a fish you would expect to find on a tropical reef—not hiding among the chilly waters of Southern California. These tiny fish are incredibly shy, however, and spotting one requires patience and a slow, careful approach. More often than not, all you catch is a fleeting reddish blur as the goby darts back into the safety of its hole.

I’ve been fortunate to encounter these little gems at many Southern California dive sites, from the clay and rocky canyons of La Jolla Shores, to the kelp forests of Catalina, and the rocky reefs of the Coronado Islands. This piece celebrates the unexpected flashes of tropical color that can be found beneath Southern California’s cold-water surface.

Original acrylic pointillism on 8 × 10-inch canvas.

The original has SOLD.

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