Fine Art with a Fishing twist
"An ounce of experience is greater than a ton of theory simply because it is only in experience that any theory has vital and verifiable significance"—John Dewey—Pioneer for Progressive Education
I grew up in Boone, NC fishing the waters of Watauga, Wilkes, Burke, Caldwell, Ashe and Avery Counties. When I was six years old my dad said I “stole” his fly rod and reel. It was a Shakespeare combo set, and I prefer the term, “borrowed indefinitely.” My mom wouldn’t let me fish alone until I knew how to swim, and was more than water-safe. So, I focused on swimming and got pretty good at it. So good, it ended up paying huge dividends for my future. I was fortunate enough to swim at UNC-Charlotte from ’87-’91. This is where I began to pursue my passion(s) within the visual arts. It is also when I realized how much I missed the mountains, and went home to fish every chance I got.
Two things have largely influenced my life to date: art and fly fishing. Both of these things are naturally cohesive as I consider fly fishing to be an art form. The relationship between these art forms has bridged the gap between my talents as a painter/sculptor/fly fisherman and now, author. All of these outlets have allowed me to expose a new and enriched perspective of the sport I love so dear. For me, it was all about reaching an audience that might never get the experience to see through my lens. Within the realm of fly fishing, the fly is a combination of materials used to mimic nature; a miniature sculpture that within itself, is built to emulate and beat mother nature at her own game. My paintings and sculptures represent what I see happening each time I stand knee deep in the water fly fishing.
I love to compose through the concept of substitution and inversion, or by taking my subject matter and inserting it into unconventional situations. My paintings vary from the reminiscing vapor of a trout from a cigar sitting on a two-finger bourbon at the end of a day fishing, to the stand-off between a real mayfly and one that has been tied, to a rising brown locked in a rocks-glass of his own whiskey river, to the patrolling of 2 (two) trout covered in our stars and stripes in honor of our military and the organization, Project Healing Waters. Those moments are gone in an instant, if you are not paying attention. My goal is play with every scenario and capture that instant. The symbiotic relationship between my artwork and my fly fishing is one in the same. Without one, the other would not exist.
I taught visual arts for 30 years in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools and am now retired. My efforts as a practicing painter and sculptor have enjoyed the same tenure. I hope you enjoy getting up close and personal, either above or below the water-line, while I hit pause for that split second, to catch that moment in time that would otherwise be unseen.
Fly fishing is our world’s greatest equalizer and absolutely should be for everyone to experience. The act of fishing (in general) does not care about your religion, your political views, your skin color, your culture, your gender or affiliations or whether you’re rich or poor. The only two things fishing demands, is your attitude and your effort.