So I'm at work on a Saturday, waiting to do my part
of a system upgrade, when I type 'Fish Print' into Google. I was looking to buy
fish art for my office. I ran across a web site for Gyotaku and take an
immediate interest in the subject. I spend the next few months researching
everything I can about gyotaku, practicing in my mind how I'm going to make my
own fish prints. I even bought a few through the internet.
It finally gets warm enough the following March to catch a few bluegill in a
local pond. Armed with red acrylic paint, news print and my then 8 year old
daughter as my assistant, we make some prints which look like fish shaped blobs
of ink. Not discouraged, I practice and practice until I feel comfortable
enough to use rice paper, rather than news print and block printing ink, rather
than acrylic paint.
Fast forward several months to the point where I
liked them enough to start framing them and hanging them in my office. Friends
of my wife ask if they can buy some as gifts for their husbands and I think
hmm......
In February of 2008, I became a juried member of the
Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen. Juried status in the PGC is an honor awarded
to work deemed to show excellence in craftsmanship, resolved design and unique
voice or style. I am honored to be a juried member.
All of my art work
is hanging up in my office between shows. The only prints that I mat and/or
frame are one's that I'd keep as my own if I never sold another. Since I catch
the fish (or in some cases, was with a friend who caught a fish), I have a
connection to each print. I do most of my fishing in Montgomery County, Chester
County and Berks County PA.
I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed making them.
Michael Reimer
2012 Fishing LogJanuary 22 - Valley Creek - 9 Brown Trout
2011 Fishing LogJanuary 2 - Tulpehocken Creek - Rainbow Trout February 6- Valley Creek, 5 Brown Trout April 8 - Susquehanna River - Carp, Channel Catfish, 5 Flathead Catfish April 15 - Delaware River - 6 Channel Catfish, 10 Striped Bass April 19 - Delaware River - 1 White Perch, 10 Channel Catfish, 10 Striped Bass May 25 - Piney Creek, 20+ Brook Trout May 25 - Clear Shade Creek, 4 Brown Trout, 4 Brook Trout May 26 - Yellow Creek, 5 Brown Trout, 9 Rainbow Trout, 1 Brook Trout May 27 - Little Bald Eagle Creek - 2 Brook Trout, 10+ Rainbow Trout, 10+ Brown Trout May 27 - Big Fill Run - 2 Brown Trout, 1 Rainbow Trout May 28 - Letort Spring Run - 2 Brown Trout June 11 - Skippack Creek - Numerous Red Breasted Sunfish and Green Sunfish, 2 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Bluegill June 11 - Hay Creek - 6 Brown Trout, 2 Rainbow Trout June 30 - Perkiomen Creek - Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Red Breast Sunfish July 2 - Tulpehocken Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout, 3 Brown Trout, 4 Rock Bass July 22 - Perkiomen Creek - 6 Smallmouth Bass, 2 Rock Bass July 23 - Perkiomen Creek - 6 Smallmouth Bass, 6 Rock Bass July 24 - Perkiomen Creek - 3 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Rock Bass August 1 - Delaware Bay - 4 Flounder, 1 Bluefish, 1 Croaker August 3 - Delaware Bay - 3 Flounder, 1 Croaker August 4 - Delaware Bay - 3 Flounder September 11 - Marsh Creek Lake- 1 Black Crappie, 1 Yellow Perch September 18 - Perkiomen Creek - 7 Smallmouth Bass September 24 - Marsh Creek Lake - 15 Black Crappie, 2 Yellow Perch, 1 Bluegill October 9 - Hay Creek - 6 Brown Trout, 1 Rainbow Trout November 27 - Hay Creek, 7 Brown Trout December 18 - 4 Valley Creek - 4 Brown Trout, 1 Rainbow Trout (yes, rainbow trout on Valley Creek!)