Blue Maomao

Blue MaomaoArtist Michael Smither CNZM Technique Silk screenprint on Archival paper Edition of 50 Released 2023 Measurements 600 x 600mm. About the artwork A school of Maomao off the east coast of Te Ika e Maui. In his younger years Michael was a keen scuba diver, and has been frequently inspired by some of the reefs and marine life he has seen and loved. Michaels passion for the natural environment has often been transcribed into his art, expressing his

Artist
Michael Smither CNZM

Technique
Silk screenprint on Archival paper 

Edition of 50

Released 2023

Measurements
 600 x 600mm.

About the artwork
A school of Maomao off the east coast of Te Ika e Maui.
In his younger years Michael was a keen scuba diver, and has been frequently inspired by some of the reefs and marine life he has seen and loved.
Michaels passion for the natural environment has often been transcribed into his art, expressing his awareness and observations.

The blue maomao is a schooling fish of inshore waters, especially rocky areas, which feed on zooplankton, although when zooplankton are scarce they will graze on algae.
 When feeding in schools chasing shrimps near the surface they can cause the water to foam.
 Each fish has a favoured sleeping spot among the rocks during the night and they change colour from blue to mottle green at night.
 Occasionally they will sleep in groups over sheltered, sandy areas.
They are tactile fish and when not feeding will rub themselves on pebbles and they will also visit cleaner fish when there is no apparent need for them to be cleaned.
They spawn from September to November and the juveniles are recorded from October to December, the eggs are 0.8mm in diameter and contain an oil droplet.
These fish can live to be 15 years old.