Hey, @flyerboys , you sent me a video of cowboys dancing so I turned it into an Octopus Vaudeville act. This is the Atlantic Long-arm octopus (Macrotritopus defilippi) which is the only octopus that can move its eyes over its back to lie on the sand bottom and disguise itself as a flatfish. (According to Gemini.)
My husband thinks I’m nuts. He felt my forehead to see if I have a fever. 
Wendy
I love it, but more importantly the youngest of my dancing Mexicano neighbors think him “guapo y muy agil!” (handsome and very agile”.
Thank you!
Here is a real life octopus Vaudeville show.
@JLC thanks for sharing this truly excellent video. I have watched and read books, movies and videos about octopi for years but this was one of the best.
Note that each of my “Octopus Vaudeville” paintings is based on an actual octopus species. For example, the “Cowboy” is based on the only octopus species that can shift its eyes to its back in order to mimic a flatfish. I had to find that specific ability because otherwise the painting wouldn’t work since the vast majority of octopus species have their eyes facing front.
I encourage everyone to watch videos of the actual octopi since they are very, very cool.
This is the “Octopus Vaudeville” so far. I arranged the “acts” into a show like an impresario to keep the audience entertained.
“Dapper Dandy Dancer” - Blue-lined octopus (Hapalochlaena fasciata)
“Stormy Weather - Torch Song” - Blanket octopus (Tremoctopus violaceus)
“Under Paris Skies” - Mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus)
“Cowboy Stunt Act” - Atlantic Long-arm octopus (Macrotritopus defilippi)
The next act will be Wonderpus photogenicus as a rock musician. And probably an Argonaut octopus declaiming as Athena (vaudevilles often included a high-brow act).
My husband thinks I’m nuts and can’t understand why I’m painting these silly paintings. Well, life is too darn serious and I’m just entertaining myself with a little imaginary fun.
Wendy
@WendyBG This is terrific!!!
@MarkR thank you! 
Wendy
Is Puget Sound resident, Giant Pacific Octopus on the list?
I painted the Giant Pacific Octopus as a stand-alone. It’s not part of the “Octopus Vaudeville.”
Original watercolor, “Isn’t it Pretty?”
Wendy
Quite a strategically placed arm and shell. 
@MarkR I added a new act to the “Octopus Vaudeville” today.
It’s a tableau vivant (living statue) showing the Argonaut octopus (the only octopus that makes its own shell) as Athena, the Greek goddess of war and crafts such as weaving. Athena is holding a spear and wearing a helmet (goddess of war) but also holding a distaff and spindle to show her skill in the fabric arts.
Vaudevilles often included a high-brow act such as a classical tableau vivant to raise the tone of the acts.
There’s one more act to come to finish the “Octopus Vaudeville”: The rock’n’roll act as a finale.
Wendy
Love the image chosen and the enactment in your imagery!
Not enough to ward off eight tentacles. 
The Captain
Sometimes a tentacle is just a tentacle…
Pete
@flyerboys thank you!
Wendy
