Paddy and Fish Patchwork Tea House Tray

Broad midday skylight floods the room, bouncing off pale walls to create a soft, even illumination across a tea house tray. The tray holds an intricate edible arrangement mimicking a Southeast Asian patchwork of paddy fields and fish ponds. Tiny green rice shoots cluster in geometric plots separated by narrow earthen ridges, while small pools of water reflect the overhead light. Muted reflections of the tray and surrounding walls stretch along the floor beneath. The shallow depth of field blurs the background, keeping focus on the textured greens and browns of the food. One grain of rice rests at the edge of a pond, catching the light.