Your Artwork

[willowhead]

Well since Andy started a thread about books, how bout one about Artwork. Let's see what you guys are up to in terms of artwork. Give us a sampling of what you've got/admire in terms of prints, framed flies, originals, framed maps, etc. I think we all like the maps in the Mac Francis book Catskills Rivers, and you can get them from Dick Smith and Judi DVS. I have the Willowemoc (LOL), and the East Branch, both with flies. My collection of prints, framed flies, and framed maps, and other framed FF/FT related things is now at over a buck and a quarter w/ four originals by "others" and 10 or so by my wife. We have a few of Jack Yelle's, a few of Francis Davis, both Catskill artist. Come over and see it anytime. Let's hear from you. mark

 

[WB Catechumen]

Mark,
Francis W. Davis (deceased) of Long Eddy
I have a few things of his and would like to get more.
His relatives are opening the Gallery with regular business hours in August only, just up the road from you.
I will be going to check it out.

 

[Mayfly]

Mark,

You have so much 'artwork' you can't even see the walls, LOL! Fantastic stuff I may add.

Per your question - I really don't know about artists. I have a Jack Yelle print and a couple of watercolor lithos by Jack Pangburn (including one he did of flies I sent him) and that's about it. Sure, I'd like to get more and I see tons of great works at the shows. Can't name the artists or what specifically I like but, paraphrasing the Supreme Court Justice who, when asked to define pornography, said, "I'm not sure what it is but I'll know it when I see it". That's how I feel about my taste in fly fishing art.

Allan

 

[Fly Ty R]

I have a Gyotaku of a striper head by David J. Denick on the wall in my office. It's a pretty cool artform. Take a piece of rice paper, press it into a real fish, then watercolor over the impressions. The scales and the eye look very realistic (mostly because they ARE real). It's a common artform in Japan, I think, used mostly for advertisement. He practically gave me the picture at an outdoors show after I talked to him for about an hour on the subject. He's really nice and a good fisherman to boot. He uses the fish he catches for the dinner table in his art.

 

[Andy B]

Mark:

You know of the one picture of the covered Bridge that Annie bought for me up in Danburry by Fancis Davis. I have three Jack Yelle's pictures. Two of the Same Framed maps of the Willowemoc and Beaverkill with flies that you have and far as flies it's my own wet fly's that I have been tying since working with Don B. Now for the rest of my house it varies from Kim Norlien outdoor country paintings to various other artist of pictures with Birds, Bears and wolves. Keep in mind that I live in a log cabin community and my house is a country cottage. We have a lot of country hand made folk art hanging up on our walls. We have blended the right mix of animal and fishing with the country folk art. Also keep in mind I have a ton of Black Bears all over my house and a nice ten point buck statue in our main window. I will tell you, that compared to your house I can see a ton of wall. The cool part with your house, is you never have to paint the walls since you can not see them anyway LOL. I was thinking after seeing your house we could sale tickets for a museum display and make a few dollars on the side. I figure after a few years with the saved money you could buy the next door neighbors house and expand LOL.


Andy

 

[Andy B]

Willow:

Just thinking. I think I might be wrong about my picture done By Francis Davis. I will look when I go home.


Andy

 

[RW]

HI folks, RW here

Artwork, Lemmee see. The "Orvis trout" watercolor matted and framed. Several brookie paintings by Dave Footer, one of the premiere fish taxidermists on the east coast. An underwater watercolor of a largemouth bass, by Dave Whitlock, matted and framed. Three skin mounts of trophy size warm water species I've caught over the years by Dave Footer. A lot of his work hangs in L. L. Beans Fly Shop here in Maine. A carved and painted replica of my world record landlocked salmon by Gene Bahr (Three articles on his work appeared the same year in Gray's Sporting Journal, The Art of Angling, and Fly Tyer Magazine, all signed copies). He lives across the lake from me.

Any number of duck prints. I'm a sucker for duck prints and lamps.
Several silk, fall wild flower arrangements around real Grouse fantails.

And my most recent art object, is placing great flies from friends on the piece of driftwood enclosed in a plastic case on an oak stand that I got at the Danbury show last year. So far the fly that has the place of honor is Andy's fontalis fin wet fly he gave me at the Roscoe farewell dinner at the Rockland House. A work of art. Also in that display is one of Allan's (Mayfly) beautiful wet fly creations from the DRC fish-in in 02 and one of my own Light Cahill wets, and if Mark (willow) would just stop tying those confounded A. Salmon flies for a little while, he might find time to tie me a nice, authentic Catskill dry for my display. I plan to change them around periodically to include many of my FAOL friends in the display, like Jim Hatch and others who I have swapped with. I've got a ton of em. This collection sits proudly on my TV where I can look at it periodically without getting out of my recliner..lol.

I never checked in on the book thread, but yeah, I got well over 200 of them too, some collector's items. Two of my best are Ernie Schwiebert's "Trout", First edition, signed with a personal message, and a signed, leather bound edition of "A Modern Dry Fly Code" by Vince Marinaro. There's more but it would take to long.

Oh, I almost forgot. Some of my own photos and prints matted and framed over the years. Several folks have my Fir Brook photo, 8 X 10 enlarged and framed as a momento from this year's Roscoe Fish-in. I thought Mark might like one but he never said nothin and I guess he ain't got no wall space left anyway....lol. I understand Allan framed his and placed one of Andy's exquisite wet flies in the lower corner. Really would like to see that Allan.

I honestly think art and fly fishing go together.

Later, RW

 

[willowhead]

Jon, yes the gallery (Wildwood) will be open for the month of Aug. The lady (Sonnie) who owns it is the daughter of the women (Dolly) who was married to Francis. Before she married Francis she was married to the Mr. Hendrickson who the fly is named after. And he was Sonnie's father. When Francis died, he left it to his wife (Dolly, Sonnie's mother) and when she died it went to Sonnie. Sonnie is now married to Scott Sampson who owns it with her. IT, of course is not only the gallery, it is the entire property. We've been all over the place and two years ago they gave us 5 blueberry bushes to transplant over at our place. There are some real nice trails up on the hillsides over at the Wildwood where Francis use to paint. And he had built stone blinds where he could hide from the bears and other wild animals and paint them in discretion. Really cool place. My wife had her first show at the Wildwood, along with other artist, a group show. She sold one piece, lol. We brought Leon Chandler with us the day of the opening party, and it really made Sonnie and Scotts day. They were old friends. Dang i miss Leon. Allan, good point. Long as you know what you like. Fly Ty R, i have one of those type prints. The guy made it right in front of me and gave it to me. Actually we swaped, for some flies. I was tying at the CFFC&M two days back to back representing the CFTG, and he was doing his artwork just across the museum from me, so.... Andy, you crack me up Bro. I bet your print of the Willowemoc Covered Bridge isn't a Francis Davis. I'd a known that when Annie bought it in Danbury. It IS beautiful though, whoever did it. BTW, i AM working on buying the next door neighbors house, lol. RW, i will gladly tye you a classic Catskill Style Dry Fly, and i DO absolutely want a copy of that pic of Fir Brook. Heck we fished it together. Lemme know which fly(s) you want. mark