Gyotaku
Although half the fish I’ve drawn are actually quite ugly brutes, but spectacular all the same. The last time I went I only wanted small fish, but my eyes take over and I lose the ability to see scale in the same way! They were huge! I get home, put what feels like a ton weight in the fridge, slip back into bed at 6.30am, and as far as my husband knows, nothing has happened, until he opens the fridge!
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I take a large amount of photographs of the fish before I wash them, as the colour and patterns wash off when I clean them. I also take some more when I have set the fish up ready to print. I then put the photos on a large scale digital frame so that I look at the photos when I draw for the accuracy. My work has been developing from a few pencil lines added to enhance the shape and detail of the fish, to detailed colour in pencil crayons, and I have now started to paint areas too.
The current work on show is an ever developing series based on the traditional Japanese process “Gyotaku”. Fisherman would catch a fish, cover it in ink, print it, wash it, and then the family would sit together and enjoy the freshly prepared fish meal. The fish print is then sometimes worked on later with paint and then hung on the wall.
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I have been adapting this process. The finished images seem quite clinical, but behind the scenes, things can become quite frantic, messy and very smelly!
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I started by buying freshly caught fish from “Springtide Fish Ltd” at Felixstowe Ferry. The first Ray I printed took me nearly 2 hours to clean, to rid it of the slime coating! To start with it made me feel quite ill (I’m a vegetarian), but by the time I had finished printing it, my respect for this magnificent creature was even greater. I came to know every lump and bump and spike, pattern and texture, and felt I owed it to it to try and bring it back to life visually.
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I loved the scenario that happened when I really didn’t have time to do any of my own work as I was going back to school the following day after the holidays. But, I had wanted to print a cod for nearly 2 years, and Springtide had one. Not only that, the fishing boat was moored within view, and the Skipper was sitting in “Winkles” opposite me. I couldn’t refuse. I bought the cod, had a chat with the Skipper who had caught the cod, and showed him my work. One of these cod drawings/prints is now hanging up in the Regent Fish Restaurant along Felixstowe Prom, who buy their fish from Springtide!
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I have now also bought fish from Billingsgate Fish Market. I leave the house at 2am, drive there in the dark and enter the hubbub of the market place “Mind your Backs” echoing around the hall as huge trolleys of fish of every description are taken to the stalls. I have learnt that as soon as I see something I want to draw, I have to buy it straight away, as when I go back for a second look it will be gone. I do feel sad when I am buying fish that I have snorkelled or dived with, but at least I am trying to immortalise them and show off their beauty so others can appreciate them too.
I have high quality scans of the drawings, so that life size Giclée prints are also available in limited editions, as well as greetings cards.
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A big thank you to Helen + Scott who regularly exhibit my work at the Cliff Top Café in Felixstowe, Suffolk, and the staff + customers that give positive and encouraging comments.
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Also to Damon and the staff at The Boot, Freston, Suffolk, who exhibit my work there, and are really enthusiastic and supportive.
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Thank you to Paul Fisk who has curated and exhibited my work a number of times, and really showed the work off to it's best in Ipswich Town Hall.