Artist Highlight

Meet Gyotaku artist, Linda Heath. Fishing and diving are one of her favorite past times, so it only made sense that the art of Gyotaku Fish Rubbing would become a passion for Linda. A self taught artist, Linda has developed her own special style of rubbing all variety of salt water fish found locally in the Florida waters. “I love working with the delicate textures of Japanese rice paper. My goal is to attempt to capture the color and unique characteristics of each fish.”

Linda traveled through New China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. There she first discovered the Gyotaku Japanese art form of fish rubbing with ink on rice paper. Gyotaku art is a wonderful way to remember each fish caught and the story behind it. Being an avid angler, Linda’s Gyotaku art is made from fish caught by herself or her friends in the Gulf of Mexico. I paint the fish using water soluble sumi ink and then rub its imprint onto the delicate rice paper. The last step is to paint the eye, adding a white dot in the center which some believe gives the fish back it’s soul.

Linda says, “I have attempted to capture the essence and shape of each fish and I hope my Gyotaku fish rubs will give you a greater appreciation of our underwater nature and all it’s beauty.”