,Conceived in 2017 the fish project consists of a series of multimedia pieces that incorporate the old Japanese art of fish printing with a more modern gel transfer technique to transfer the prints to wooden canvases.
the fish project is a reflection of people's connection to the fish in northern BC rivers such as the Nass and Skeena. Using fish she caught herself, or has been gifted from friends, the prints preserve the uniqueness of the various species that enter these river systems every year. It's a celebration of the intersection of culture, place, ecosystems and the people that call the northwest coast their home. Creating each piece in this project is a multi-faceted process that involves sourcing or catching the fish, cleaning it, preparing it for printing, painting it and then pressing the prints onto thin paper. Then the prints are transferred to the wood panels using a gel transfer technique. Each painting on its own is a reflection of a small, but critical piece of the ecosystem. Each painting takes weeks to complete. "The fish printing creates a record of the fish in a way that captures all of its unique attributes - scales, scars, fins and even its eyes," says Sarah. "Salmon and oolichan are so important to this region from a cultural, food and ceremonial perspective, I wanted to capture their uniqueness in totally different way." the fish project was exhibited at: The Terrace Art Gallery [2017] Island Mountain Arts Gallery, Wells, BC [2018] The Smithers Art Gallery [2020] Custom pieces available on commission. |