'Carp Leaping Over Dragon's Gate' Card

This elegant matte card measures 5.5" x 8.5" and is a reprint of artist Joe McAuliffe's original artwork.

About the piece:  In Chinese mythology, the Dragon’s Gate is located atop a waterfall. Many carp swim upstream, but few make the leap over the waterfall. When one does so, it is transformed into a powerful dragon. A carp jumping over Dragon’s Gate is an enduring symbol for courage, perseverance, and accomplishment. The Chinese expression, liyu tiao long men (carp jump, dragon’s gate) relays a message that success will come through hard work and perseverance.

FISH OUT OF WATER exhibit
Now - January 4, 2015 | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Daily 
Ottosen Gallery in Dorrance Hall

Join artist Joe McAuliffe and the Desert Botanical Garden as we celebrate the water that sustains present-day societies in Arizona. With gyotaku impressions of fish from local canals, rivers, lakes and ponds, Dr. McAuliffe uses this ancient Japanese technique to tell stories that reflect his interest in natural history and conservation, and the relationships of fish and human culture. 

In addition to the pursuit of this art form, McAuliffe is a research ecologist and director of research at the Desert Botanical Garden. Before he began working in desert environments in the 1980s, his research and publications included studies of aquatic life, including fish, amphibians, turtles and insects.