🧜🏾♀️I was commissioned to create this rainbow mermaid for a three year-old girl. She was so much fun to create!! It made me feel like a little girl while I was making her.🥰
The Tide Sisters are a growing collection of small original mermaids, each with her own colors, expression, and personality. No two are alike!
These are all my original artwork and I sign and number each one on the back.🌊🖤🧜🏾♀️
I created these original mermaid drawings when I was 10 and 11 years old. Very recently, I drew them again. With some updates, but retaining much of what my young artist self originally imagined. Enjoy!
I started experimenting with little 5×7 African mermaid paintings inspired by my earlier Tribe series. They have glowing eyes, bioluminescent markings, and pastel geometric backgrounds. I painted the green sister during my first livestream and these may eventually become affordable $35 originals. I’m having so much fun with them! Which one is your favorite?
I’ve been working on this mermaid doll in my studio and decided to turn the camera on while I worked on her locs. Somehow we ended up talking about mermaid TV shows, choosing tail fabric, singing, stabbing myself under the fingernail, and, of course, the infamous footy boobs. 😆🧜🏾♀️ She’s still very much a work in progress!
My last poll asked whether people here actually own or would like to own mermaid art. Now I’m curious about what kind of mermaid art you’d want to live with.
If you were choosing a piece specifically to hang in your home, which style would you be most drawn to?
Obviously, some of these can overlap, so just choose the one that matters most to you.
And if your ideal mermaid art isn’t represented here, tell me about it in the comments! 🧜🏾♀️
I’m an artist who has loved mermaids since childhood, and I’m curious about the people here who love them too.
Do you currently have mermaid artwork displayed in your home?
If you do own mermaid art, I’d love to hear what drew you to the piece you chose.
I’m an oil painter and I’m working on some very special afro-mermaids. They will be part of series called, Deep Sea Sentinels. More to come!🧜🏾♀️🧜🏾♀️🧜🏾♀️
Pronunciation
CUR-rent CUZ-in
Meaning
A beloved member of the community who may not be related by blood, but is considered family all the same.
Among the Waterfolk, family is not defined only by ancestry. Some souls swim beside us for so long, through calm seas and rough tides, that they become our Current Cousins.
A Current Cousin is someone you trust, support, and claim as family, no matter where they were born.
Example
“Is she your sister?”
“No, that’s my Current Cousin.”
🧜🏾♀️🧜🏾♂️Now it’s your turn, Waterfolk…
Do you have a Current Cousin in your life?
Someone who isn’t related by blood, but has become family through love, loyalty, and shared journeys?
Tell us about them below. 💙
From The Book of Currents
“The currents choose some of our family for us. The heart chooses the rest.”
🌊 The Deep remembers.
I’d love to see a fun little sketch of yours! Color it with markers, crayons, finger paints or, whatever. Just have fun, be loose and let your inner child play!
Here’s mine! I did my own version of this mermaid from a Draw So Cute video on YouTube. Lots of tutorials there, if you need/want them. I can’t wait to see what you create!💖🌘🧜🏾♀️
Pronunciation
CUR-rent BLESS-ings
Meaning
A traditional Black Waterfolk greeting and blessing meaning: “May the currents carry you gently and well.”
🧜🏾♀️Among the Waterfolk, currents are more than moving water. They represent life’s journeys, the people we meet, and the unseen forces that guide us. To wish someone Current Blessings is to wish them peace, protection, and good fortune wherever the tides may take them.
Example
“Current Blessings, cousin.”🧜🏾♂️
“And to you. Swim under good currents.”
🌊 Now it’s your turn, Waterfolk…
Who would you like to send Current Blessings to today?
Leave a blessing for another Waterfolk in the comments.
From The Book of Currents
“No wave travels alone. We are carried by the same sea.”
🌊 The Deep remembers.
Ocean Good
Pronunciation
Ocean Good
Meaning
A traditional Black Waterfolk response meaning:
“I’m doing well.”
More than simply feeling “fine,” it expresses gratitude, resilience, and being in harmony with the currents of life.
Among the Waterfolk, saying “Ocean good” reminds us that even when the seas are rough, our spirits can remain buoyant.
Example
“How the waters, cousin?”
“Ocean good. And yours?”
🌊 Now it’s your turn, Waterfolk…
Someone greets you: “How the waters?”
How would you answer?
Would you say:
🌊 Ocean good.
🌊 Current strong.
🌊 Riding gentle tides.
Or create your own Waterfolk response!
From The Book of Currents
“The wise do not wait for calm seas to know peace. They carry calm within them.”
🌊 The Deep remembers.
Welcome, Waterfolk! 🌊
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be learning the language, traditions, and sayings of the Black Waterfolk together—one word at a time. Whether you’re new to the community or have been swimming with us for a while, I hope you’ll join in and help bring this world to life.
🌊 Waterfolk Word of the Week #1
How the Waters?
Pronunciation
How the WAH-ters?
Meaning
A traditional greeting among Black Waterfolk. It simply means:
“How are you?”
It asks not only about someone’s well-being, but also how their spirit is flowing.
Example
“How the waters, cousin?”
“Ocean good. And yours?”
Now it’s your turn, Waterfolk…
👇🏾How would you answer if another Waterfolk greeted you with “How the waters?”
From The Book of Currents
“Language carries memory. Each greeting reminds us that we all swim the same ocean.”
🌊 The Deep remembers.
I found this on their IG @: mermaidsocietyofficial
Mermaid Code: The Unspoken Rules of Life Underwater
Hey everyone! Is anyone participating in MerMay, drawing/painting mermaids with rich melanin? I’ve been doing sketches and experimenting this month. Here are a few! Let’s see what you’ve been doing too!💖🧜🏾♀️
I just found this article and thought you all would enjoy it too! I’m a Cancer. What’s yours?
I just rewatched this film recently. I love how the writing had so much dialogue from the animated film from 1989. But, I really love where it deviated from it too, and had its own story. The black Caribbean theme and the music really made it feel like ours! Of course, the Queen was wonderful to see. All of the diversity in the film was refreshing in general. Ariel’s sisters from all of the seas were beautiful! Though, I wish they would have had Ariel’s hair look like Halle Bailey’s actual hair!! Locs look AMAZING flowing around in water. Additionally, she was looking kinda fair. But, overall the film makes me smile! What are your thoughts?💖🧜🏾♀️
I’m working on a special series of mermaids. More about that in the future! But, here is one of my studies that I’m pretty happy with. What do you think?
🌊** **Skin tone (deep ocean blues? golden undertones? shimmering?)
🧜🏾♀️Hair (locs flowing like seaweed? braids adorned with shells?)
✨Energy (soft healer? storm caller? ocean protector?)
In r/melaninmermaids, we honor the infinite forms of our ocean selves. Describe yours below or share art💙