Artist-of-the-Month Patti Fielding

 

Artist-of-the-Month Patti Fielding
Artist Reception, Sunday, November 23, 12-3pm
Gyotaku demo Sunday, November 30, 1pm
Urauchi demo Sunday, December 7, 1pm

On exhibit, November 23-December 30, 2025

Patti Fielding is a gyotaku artist, practicing a Japanese technique developed in the 1800s by fishermen to record their catch. Raised by an artist mother, Patti put her lifelong interest in art into action after retiring from the business world. Six months after leaving the office, she was introduced to gyotaku. Being an avid fisherman and lover of all aquatic life, she was “hooked”. 

Gyotaku, which translates to “fish rubbing” (some call it “flat taxidermy”), is a method of printmaking using fish, other sea creatures, shells, or leaves as “printing plates”. Fishermen applied sumi ink to one side of a freshly caught fish, covered the fish with rice paper, and rubbed it lightly to create an exact image of the fish. It is rumored that fishing competitions would be settled using gyotaku prints. This original form of gyotaku, as a recording method for fishermen, is still used today and examples can be seen hanging in tackle shops in Japan. This is art and function combined. While the prints preserved records of fish species and sizes, the fish could be eaten because the ink was non-toxic. 

For her gyotaku work, she uses inks and acrylic paint on fabric and Asian paper. She enjoys combining gyotaku technique with other techniques like Italian trapunto, Korean joomchi, or painting watercolor backgrounds on the paper or fabric before printing. Patti is also learning urauchi, a method of applying backing paper to support the artwork and prevent wrinkles and sagging. 

Patti is attracted to this art form as it reminds her of the beautiful and unique details of life that are obscured by other concerns. We so often ignore or forget about the beautiful details because we emphasize one detail over all the others (whether it’s positive or negative). Our value is in all our details. It’s been quite healing for Patti because she placed her career over all other details. This left her lost after retirement. God used gyotaku to help her find herself after years in business.

Patti’s work has been shown locally at:

Essex Art Center in Lawrence, Brush Art Gallery of Lowell,

Chelmsford Center for the Arts, Parish Center for the Arts in Westford,

The Art Center of Dover (NH), and the Lowell Senior Center Gallery.

She is a regular exhibitor at The Arts League of Lowell

and at The Lazy Bubble restaurant in Pepperell (MA). 

Patti enjoys giving demonstrations to share gyotaku with others and help them benefit spiritually by reminding them of their unique and beautiful details (like the subjects of gyotaku).