Prints and repeat at gyotaku workshop

Fish prints are a fun way to create coastal art, but the art form of Gyotaku can go far beyond simple prints. And on Saturday, March 15, master Gyotaku artist Duncan Berry will offer a rare workshop at the Pelican Brew Pub on Siletz Bay.

Berry offers only a handful of workshops a year now so this is your chance to learn from his years of exploring and expanding this traditional printing technique.

“The master class is a deep dive into this Japanese folk art,” he said. “We really slow down and explore the art form. I have a very wide range of specimens that are really seen outside of the aquarium. We also get into more advanced techniques.”

Participants will have the opportunity to print a dozen or more beautiful direct impressions from wild creatures of the land, sea and air from along Oregon's coastline.

“The longer time we have for the class allows for more detailed results,” Berry said. “I show shading and eyes, and I will show how to create habitats with seaweed so you can create stories.”

The workshop will include specimens of octopus of different sizes, Chinook salmon, rockfish, a variety of different seaweeds, crabs, starfish and more, harvested by Berry as sustainably as possible.

“Almost everything that we use I have found washed up and a lot is bycatch,” he said. “I also freeze and refreeze things dozens of times.”

No prior art experience is necessary. All instruction, materials and lunch are included. As a special bonus, participants will be learning about the lives of these species and about the Marine Reserve program in Oregon as they print.

“The whole purpose of putting these classes on is to connect people with the living planet,” Berry said. “The most important thing we can do is create a relationship with these species so that people start looking at their relationships with them in a different way and begin to care about protecting them.”

The March 15 class is from 11 am to 5 pm at the Pelican Brew Pub on Siletz Bay, located at 5911 Hwy. 101 in Lincoln City. The fee is $300 and includes lunch. For more information, go to cascadehead.org.