Blackfin Tuna | Marine Portraits Watercolor

A Portrait of the Sea in Motion

This one-of-a-kind Blackfin Tuna gouache watercolor was originally painted over two decades ago by CEDAR Y SAND founder Stacey Testa as part of a marine naturalist study for her father. Each stroke captures the sleek motion of the tuna—its golden eye, fluid silhouette, and deep ocean hues—transforming memory into art. Now revisited and reimagined, the portrait is collaged with our signature hand-marbled suminagashi paper, extending its energy into the mat with swirling, tide-like patterns.

From Brushstroke to Suminagashi

Created with the Japanese marbling technique of suminagashi, each mat is hand-marbled onto Hosho paper, evoking currents of water and air. Once dry, the paper becomes the setting for the portrait, seamlessly merging naturalist detail with abstract rhythm. The layered gouache painting and marbled matting create a depth that feels timeless yet alive—an interplay of science, artistry, and sea.

Matted & Ready for Display

Professionally mounted in an archival off-white mat (12 x 16") with an image area of 8 1/2 x 11 1/2". Each piece is painted, collaged, and assembled entirely by hand. Ready to frame, it arrives as a singular heirloom of art and memory, suited for coastal interiors, marine collectors, or those who value original works of art.

A Gift of Sea & Story

Perfect for ocean lovers, natural history enthusiasts, or collectors of one-of-a-kind originals, this marine portrait is both a tactile study of sea life and a narrative of connection. More than décor, it is a story retold—personal, coastal, and enduring.

From the Suminagashi Impressions Collection

This artwork belongs to Marine Portraits, a series within Suminagashi Impressions, where gouache paintings of marine life are collaged with suminagashi-marbled mats. The series features Blackfin Tuna, Mutton Snapper, Cooked Lobstah, and Great Blue Shark—each one a one-of-a-kind original painted and reimagined with CEDAR Y SAND’s signature marbled paper. All pieces are designed, painted, and finished exclusively by CEDAR Y SAND in East Hampton, NY.