Four hundred million years ago ancient mollusks called Orthoceras became fossilized in black marble in Morocco. Today they form an elegant background for a mosaic of a Lookdown fish skeleton created with white marble from the famous Italian Carrara mines. The result is a dramatic 29x36” mosaic in black and white.

I first saw the image of the fish in a book of X-rays of fish from the Smithsonian Institution. Ichthyo pairs mesmerizing photos of fish skeletons with thoughtful phrases.

The Lookdown (Selene Volmer Jack) image is paired with a Chinese proverb urging patience: Schools of fish come to those who wait patiently; if the big ones don’t come, the little ones will. Perfect advice for an artist.