I first began gyotaku fish printing as a way to memorialize the catches that my late-husband brought home for us to eat. It became a way for me to show respect for the natural world through art and I hope that reverence for my subject shows through in my work.
Now I print fish for my friends and neighbors who share their catches with me. For Hawaii’s fishermen, whether they are commercial, recreational, or subsistence, it is part of the traditional island culture to share with others, especially in hard times. This pandemic reminds me every day how fishing is really about food, community, culture, and our island way of life. Mahalo to all the fishermen who continue to provide for our island communities. Aloha.
