I once had a job accessing the age and health of salmon by viewing their scales under a microscope. That lead me to a deep dive into scales of various fish and how they grow and function. Scales are like our skin and have so many functions to perform. They speed the fish as it swims, acts as armor, and protects the fish from injury and infection. Scales have the same function and patterns on all fish. I see the patterning mimicked in many day-to-day items, for example, how we shingle our roofs and walls. or fishnet stockings.

Watercolor on 300lb cold press paper