December 26, 2009 2:09pm A surreal, original, and beautiful take on the mermaid theme. The "gashes" painted on her shoulder suggest a variation on the Scottish version of the myth, in which the mermaid was a shapeshifter who took the water wearing a magical sealskin (and could be confined in human form by stealing it from her), although this reverses the idea: her human skin appears to conceal her true, aquatic nature, and the various designs suggest her to be a water-spirit / naiad rather than a mermaid, as she seems to personify your surroundings. Her dignified in-profile expression suits this classical theme, while the lighting and processing make her presence seem almost more real than real: very suitable for a supernatural being.