Fish in World History
Paired Fish appear in the Babylonian zodiac as Pisces and are also used to represent the yin-yang symbol adopted by Taoism. Fish are mentioned more than 60 times in the Bible and 6 times in the Qur'an. [However this may be an equal amount as the Bible is about 10 times longer].
In Jewish lore fish are a symbol of fertility, because Jacob gave his children a blessing that they should multiply like fish in the sea. Fish are also associated with the coming of the Messiah. According to a legend, the Messiah will come in the form of a great fish from the sea. 'Without Fish,' the saying goes, 'there is no Sabbath.' Incidentally in the Jewish calendar Adar is Dagim/Pisces/Fish corresponding to Naftali and the faculty of Laughter.

Fish are one of the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism. The golden fish, symbolizes the auspiciousness of all living beings in a state of fearlessness, without danger of drowning in the ocean of sufferings, and migrating from place to place freely and spontaneously, just as fish swim freely without fear through water.

In the Hindu religion Lord Vishnu went through 9 different manifestations or incarnations, the eighth avatar was Krishna and the ninth was Buddha but the first was Matya; a man with a fish body who saved humanity and the Vedas from the great flood of destruction. His 10th incarnation is anticipated.

Fish and Christianity are certainly linked in both the old and new testaments. Jonah and the whale for instance. We do know that the fish's first known use as a Christian religious symbol was sometime within the first three centuries AD among the early believers or followers of Jesus. Possibly around the 16th century Christians began using the Greek word ichthys for "fish". Ichthys is the most commonly used word in the New Testament for fish. Ichthys consists of five letters from the Greek alphabet: I-ch-th-y-s.(IXQUS) which became an acrostic term for Christ.

Besides finding fish swimming through all major religions, denizens of the deep are prominently featured in oral legends throughout Oceania as well as many native cultures whose diet is dependent or supplemented by annual fish migrations. Fabled heroes of western mythology from Greek, Roman, Norse folklore have fought or been eaten by fish or other seamonsters. Fish are an important food resource for all cultures. The ability to preserve their meat by drying or salt enabled the large catches of atlantic cod as a provision which helped colonize western America.

A Fish Backstory

Dawn of the Fish – 'Fish At A Diner'
An aberrant creation out of left field from my usual image terrain. Born from a silly idea it sparked what has become my longest lived series. Done on a whim, only the color referenced the work I had been doing. Coming from the dairy farm to the school studio I believed you should paint what you know.

The painting instructor got cows,

the drawing and printmaking teachers got cows.

None of them were happy after 3 semesters of bovinity. They wanted to see something else from me. They all pointed in different directions with contradictory results.

Well thats spiritual but try more representational..

try original but less mystical..

original yes but try more relevant..

No cows remember, try more abstract, try add more Impressionism or DeKooningism,

become more Jasper Johns-like, or try be Rauschenberg-ish, Motherwellian or an UberRothko. I gathered from their advice that the "New York School" was the pinnacle of contemporary expression obviously successful albeit unfortunately suicidal.

After perusing volumes of contemporary art, I brought the painting professor's attention to color plates from books documenting the Bovine School of Painting to validate my point, (see 17th century dutch and flemish pastoral painters) to no avail. I was instructed not to paint another cow or I would be out of his class, out of the studio, out of school and out on the road. Of course that was the next thing I did.

Frustrated with school and tenured professors, I realized I didn't want to graduate to end up a teacher-ism, and a BFA wasn't what I thought it was, and even a MFA in the current economy meant maybe a job in the shoe department at Kmart. This was when higher education suddenly felt ridiculous to me and 'Fish At A Diner' made perfect sense.

Because Fish Tales was conceived as a cartoon, the characters were at first imaginary reflections in a 'realistic' setting. A sort of Bullwinkle meets Fantasia.

'Fish at a Diner' and 'Come to Shell for Answers' are early examples of this comic portrayal. It was after I moved to the islands and began tuning in to the ocean, exotic plants, active volcanoes, rain forests and deserts; the fish begin to transform into more 'realistic' cartoon characters based on snorkeling observations.

A first blending of these interests led to a short pictorial series of paintings titled 'Reef Orchids' (gouache on paper).

A change in fish depiction can be seen by comparing the fish before and during the second half of 1985. 'Fish on a Date' illustrates this shift when same compositional theme reemerged with 'Go Jump In A Lake' and 'Shoreline Fishing'.

'Surf Shark' was also among the images which began the curve into more natural fish characters. I mean shark has to look shark, no two ways about it. The Hometown '85 'Fish Jam' composition came back around as 'Sing Your Heart Out!' and later again as 'Tune-A-Fish'. This intuitive progression seems natural and kept this series conceptually alive in my head between 1991 and 2008.

Unfortunately for 'Fish Jam' it was created at a culmination of artistic frustration as I had discovered the limitation of my chosen media. The schism between my painting methods and ultimate vision during this time of growth, inspiration and observation, left me 'halfway' or not even close to my visual goal. My personal sense of accomplishment felt hollow. Oils had serious drawbacks in the humidity of the tropics but it had been my favorite medium. The drying period was an issue but subsequent tendency to mold over time was an archival consideration. I was living in a very wet location and I had already given away all my mold blue leather goods.

The painting techniques I was developing on paper failed when multiple layers of media were applied. My surfaces were maximized after only 2-3 floats of color. Using workable fixative between paint layers left the surface with inhibited water resolving properties, even ink resistance. Without its application the underpainting would haphazardly dissolve creating mud puddles rather than bright colors. Physically introducing a wet brush was a gamble at 20+ hours into a work if you don't wish to subtract anything. At the time I solved this dilemma by employing masks, using an airbrush for certain details and making uniform gradients. An airbrush back then was anathema to painting purists, just like today's traditionalist view of computer art being not authentic, I was discounted for 'cheating' to achieve my aim.

The desire to build color with multiple transparent washes like Maxfield Parish for instance, forced me to abandon watercolors & gouache permanently and for a while I made myself happy with pen & ink, graphite pencils, and prismacolor sticks

to resolve composition and color schemes before committing further to the image. However to achieve the next level of visual impact I desired, I needed to accept the inevitability of latex.

(Advances in this painting medium had recently transformed it from a plastic version of oil paint to one that could challenge the vibrance, diversity of application, and archival longevity of the classic standard of oils. I have since come to depend on the reliability and characteristics of Acrylics to perform consistently as I envision.)

 

Well enough dwelling on the past.

The themes I chose to explore coupled with the puns or colloquialisms I want to exploit form the foundation of each Fish Tales image. Some Fish Themes I've Distilled, (they overlap);
Fish Food
Fish Fishing Fish
Fish Out of Water
Fish Religion
Fish Mating Behavior, (probably included in Fish Fishing)
Fish Culture & History
Fishing Vacations
Singing & Talking Fish
Fish Professionals
Fish Hooks & Lures
Fish & Gaming

The public response to this series has been positive among all age groups, kind of a something for everyone deal. The off the wall humor exemplified by 'Go Fish' and 'Carps'has been appreciated by many, from very different walks of life. A handful people are put off by my apparent lack of good taste, ('Fish Cake')

or a sense of 'just too ridiculous', ('Fish Bones') to mentally consider. I've been dismissed casually with, 'you're just pasting fish heads on people'.
('Homestyle Fish')

I've seen parents shield their children's eyes while passing my display. Veterans are drawn to 'Flying Fish' and 'Fish Tank'. Some people have a laugh attack while others just snort. The fish & religion theme makes some viewers cringe at my irreverent approach, but the majority laugh with my poke of Organized Religions. I've had a nun buy 'Holy Mackerel' for her priest colleagues, Buddhists have picked up 'Peace of Fish' and Jewish viewers chose 'Kosher Fish' for their rabbis. I have also depicted 'The Porpoise of Life', 'Angel Fish', 'Native Fish', 'Fish Supper', 'The Fishtine Chapel' and 'Confishus'; all fish compositions spiritually askew. Oops, to those of you who have already suspected 'Lord Fishnu' was not ready for this collection. But really, how can you be serious about being funny?

Presenting the Fish Tales at a variety of venues I've encountered few negative reactions. A small number of people have commented that I am illustrating or even promoting cannibalism with the fish eat fish scenarios. It shows a real ignorance of the underwater food chain and what transpires beneath the waves. The greatest resistance I've encountered with this work however has been certain individuals perceptual recoil when they learn that what they're seeing is a digital creation. I like to point out that there is little contemporary territory untouched by digital technology. Do they feel the same illegitimacy toward digital photography, music, TV, Smart Phones or an MRI? Sure there is a popular move back to analog and darkrooms but vinyl isn't live nor photography reality. Sheet music is an abstraction of sound, just like particle physics and string-theory are only mental constructs, abstractions of the physical world.

I believe that the intellect needs nourishment and that there is something to learn from everything. Fish Tales is a voice and the message is becoming communicable. I often think about what I think about, and I find plenty of banality attempting to seep into my consciousness from the award-winning mediocrity of society and content-free art proliferating throughout our culture. I haven't touched fish zombies or vampire fish yet but I'll probably get there eventually.

As a primarily visual artist I've struggled with words or at least their limitations. I have had to keep the fish verbalization to minimalistic titles, just quick captions for the guffaw reflex. At first I thought word-balloons would help alleviate this need but their intrusive nature was deflating. Word-balloons gobbled up valuable visual real estate by hiding composition and imagery, if you have plenty to say..maybe you should be writing a book.

Thinking more in terms of a graphic novel intrigued me and I could visualize fish crooning 'Old Man River' or 'Beyond the Reef' in 3 part harmony.

A Fish Tales compilation of narrative and imagery is still in the works today but in a much different form. The Fish Tales series has proven that it has the resiliency to remain relevant and the capacity to encompass a wide spectrum of contemporary issues. 'Fishy Healthcare', 'Change-Hope-Fish' and 'Socially Conscious and Stuff' exhibit this series' potential for political commentary. The ability of Fish Tales to grow and evolve keeps me involved and growing along with them.

In Conclusion
From artist biographies and the library of art books I have read, I like to mention a couple that have had a lasting impact on my development. I would recommend anyone wishing to make art a lifelong endeavor to read "The Mission of Art"(1998), by contemporary artist Alex Grey. His work has reached international acclaim despite and because of the mystical intent of his paintings. In his autobiographical book he promotes the possibility of the spiritual potential of art, he argues that the process of artistic creation can (and should) play a role in the enlightenment of the artist. For him, the process of artistic creation holds the potential of transcending the limitations of the mind and more fully expressing the divine spirit. He also believes that art can induce within the viewer an elevated state wherein spiritual states of being are attained. Can you say modern primitive?

Individuals who are enamored with the popular collage approach to image creation need look at the work of artist Kurt Schwitters; (1887–1948), he was an integral part of Germany's revolutionary art and intellectual movements in the tumultuous wake of the First World War. He is one of the most enduring figures of the 20th century international avant-garde, and has been cited as a profound influence by artists ranging from Robert Rauschenberg to Damian Hirst. Widely acknowledged today as a great master of collage, Schwitters' diverse body of work cut across boundaries, hierarchies and media to include painting, sculpture, typography, poems and performance pieces, and it anticipated most of the leading art movements of the late 20th century.

Humanity has enjoyed fish as a rich source of inspiration and food from time immemorial. Using fish as a vehicle to express a different mindset I am attempting to mirror modern man's incoherent absurdity while reflecting his unlimited potential to change.
'Happy Trails'
WB 2011

Artist's Timeline

1981 – 82 Leave school, [The University of Nebraska at Omaha] & eventually return to ozark family dairy farm.

1983 – 84 Tentative move to Hawaii then full relocation to one of the most remote areas of the Big Island of Hawaii.

1985 Fish Tales Entry into island-wide music talent contest. 'Fish Jam' wins cover art slot in competition for the Hometown '85 Project. An album recording featuring the winning local bands showcasing various island-flavored genres in Hilo Hawaii.
Artist is momentarily drunk with acceptance and temporary success. Artist believes 'Hometown '85' will launch the desired Art Career fueled now by popular demand and brand awareness for fish product. Not for the first time nor the last, the artist will discover how shallow fame and how naïve his business plan. An artist's belief in the incredible wonder of his creation can blind him to the Market and even Reality. (As a reminder the first episode of Stephen Hellenberg's 'Spongebob Squarepants' was released in 1999.)

In the 80's printing was still done with photographic separations and professional camera work cost hundreds of dollars. There was no photoshop or any type of software yet available for independent desktop publishing. Unable financially to create a line of full-color Fish Tales to compete against the vast array of tourist goods and immense gallery inventory, artist attempted to introduce a lower cost Fish Tales series of notecards in Black & White, aiming to transition to color as soon as profits allowed. The artist knew little about copyrights, contracts, or even the logistics of distribution and advertising.

Thinking it was commercially viable, artist puts up printing costs and stores 1000's of cards & envelopes in his room. 1986 Bottom line: 12 Fish Tales designs became a set of B&W notecards with a one-man sales force. Marketed through art festivals, galleries, gift shops on the islands and west coast ocean boutiques via mail order, revenue never caught up with expenses. Understanding Market Demands and targeted profit ratios equal success. On an island soaked with unrelenting color, black & white was a denial not an expression of the environment. Most artists have no clue about selling their work. In order to be successful in the real world; wholesale unit price considers production cost which must also include distribution and advertising, promotional materials, trade shows, travel expenses, insurance & etc. Artists should go to business school.

1990 - 91 Several Fish Tales images are resampled and formatted for multi-color t-shirt screen-printing. 6 designs are put into production and into a clothing line. Again a great idea ends up on the rocks of bad business partners. Artist shelves the fish because business has taken the fun out and made the art sad. Instead with help from friends artist changes course and starts a delivery service which eventually hires 12 people.

2006 – 07 Relocation to the Mainland and final move to Western Oregon
2008 Lacking space for a new studio the artist turns to projects which can occupy an area no larger than a desktop; welcome to the digital canvas. Picking up virtual paints & paper, the artist looks to his past for a future focus. Using the familiar fish compositions, utilizing known color schemes and characters helped soften the steep software learning curve. The artist needed only contemplate pushing buttons in the proper sequences, figuring out layers and alpha channels, learning to 'save' often after losing hours of work to power outages.
2008 – 11 All Fish Tales work has been digital now for the past 3 years. Artist uses various cameras and scanners to begin the image abstraction process, further enhancing the image with a stylus/brush-tool and drawing tablet.