A Fishy Coke Bottle

January 6, 2025

Hello again! I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to share something exciting with you: I recently painted a Coca-Cola bottle for the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, and I’m thrilled to say it’s now part of their permanent folk art collection. The aquarium asked me to include a few special fish species in the design, so I painted the American Paddlefish, River Sturgeon, Laurel Dace, Tangerine Darter, and River Chub. As I worked on the piece, I took some time to learn about these fish and their habitats, watching videos about the conservation efforts surrounding them. Honestly, I ended up really enjoying that part of the process!

I’m planning to visit the aquarium soon to see the real fish I painted on display. It’s been years since I’ve been there, so I’m looking forward to revisiting. And who knows, maybe I’ll even get a chance to say hello to my wooden bottle in person! A big thank you to Mr. Michael Floyd for making this opportunity happen. I’m truly honored that you asked me to be a part of this project. :)

Here is the bottle – and below a couple of the painting in progress.

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See you soon,
Kyle BlackCatTips Brooks