About Gyotaku
Gyotaku (pronounced Ghee-o-tah-ku) involves the application of paint directly onto the selected fish. The fish is covered with a sheet of rice paper, and the image of the fish is transferred onto the rice paper by rubbing the fish by hand. In Japan, this was a way to record the size of a fish, and traditional black ink on a white rice paper was utilized.
HAN is a Kanji
symbol
for a
stamp
signature
On each print appears
the seal or Han,
which is the Koike
name that translates
to Little Pond.
In the United States, gyotaku has evolved into an art form in which colors range from the traditional to the surreal. Since each print is executed by hand, no rubbings are exactly alike, and consequently, each print evokes a different emotion.
Contact Information for
Bruce Koike
(Tel) 541-574-6104
(Fax) 541-574-6333
bruce@koike-fish-prints.com
Bruce Koike's Website
BRUCE KOIKE
Having taken an interest in the marine environment at a young age, Bruce's life seems to have evolved and revolved around water and fish. Weekly family outings to the beach in San Diego, high hopes of catching fish, and Japanese cuisine were always a mainstay in the Koike household.
Bruce earned a Master of Science degree in Fisheries from Oregon State University in 1988 with an emphasis on fish diseases. While in graduate school, Bruce, a third generation Japanese or sansei, began to practice the art of fish rubbing. Many people have commented on the fusion of technical training and artistic capabilities so evident in Bruce's work.
Bruce has worked at major aquariums in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Oregon. Currently he is the Director of Aquarium Science Technology at Oregon Coast Community College in Newport, Oregon.