Gyotaku

As you may know, Nantucket is one of my favorite places on the planet. I'm always inspired by the work of local artists, and recently had the pleasure of meeting Pete Van Dingsteen in his studio on Old South Wharf.  Pete makes fish prints in the traditional Japanese style called Gyotaku, which is creating prints of fish on rice paper.

This is one of Pete's prints. I love the way he printed on the dark blue paper. Another Gyotaku artist on the island is Chris Bonelli, whose work below has a much different feel from Pete's.

I decided that as soon as I returned home, I had to try my hand at fish printing. Well, the results were a bit disappointing, but we learned a lot and are anxious to try more prints, both on paper and fabric. Here is the first attempt.

I wish Pete were here to offer some guidance, but I guess like most things, it takes practice, practice.