notice next to the fish's mouth, "executive benefits" on the other end, "diets."

The Friday after Thanksgiving we invited some friends over, got the ma-mas ready for creative time, bought some tilapia, anchovies & a few trout at the local market & got busy.

Raine's fish print masterpiece age 6

This project was inspired by my brilliant daughter, Raine, who came home with a fish print in first grade – which I have kept to this day vowing to someday try this myself. And I guess nearly 10 years later was the perfect time to slap some fish on paper.

The idea behind this project is simple. Paint a fish & slap it on paper. I was using it as a warm-up to further painting or use the fish print & expand on it. I cut mine up & collaged it onto a board, other’s forgot about the fish altogether & ran in a different direction.

All in all, it was fun, smelly, bringing about lots of playfulness, laughter, a need for gloves, cats & the need to double bag the remains & discard in a dumpster down the street.

Ellie's fish face

subtle palette

sara pressing anchovies

tilapia & anchovy

Larry getting ready for a smooch

Grandma Karen jumping in!

my mama's fish

the catch is driving the cats crazy!

communing with fish

fish hands

I hung the fish on a laundry line with clothes pins across my window to show them off. Later I moved it up a bit as a window treatment.

hanging them out to dry

look at those fish!

installation piece in our dining room

my fish print collage