My imaginary clay characters and their humorous situations involve flora, fish and frogs that relate to an earlier time – when people amused and endeared themselves to others by telling funny and outrageous “fishy” stories, some of which were even true.
These acrylic painted clay sculptures are presented on wooden plaques reminiscent of the stuffed animal “trophy” heads frequently associated with fishing and hunting lodges.

My paintings of guides and fishermen are based on old black and white photographic records taken by my father in the 1940s. My intention in interpreting these images is twofold. First, I wish to illustrate the historical significance of sports fishing, especially fishing for trophy musky in central Canada. The size and abundance of these fish belong to bygone days. Second, the paintings show the fishermen and their guides whose expressions, clothing, and stances provide a quintessential statement of the style and plenitude of their times.

Paintings of fish focusing primarily on their heads highlight the beauty of these Canadian species. The process of creating my mixed media paintings is an emotionally freeing one to me. As a theme, fish provide endless possibilities in my exploration of colour, texture, and materials. As in fishing itself, the pleasure lies in the artist’s pursuit of capturing the essence of fish.