Hello, I’m Kaylee Hettenbaugh, a local artist and fisherman on Tybee Island, GA. I am also a graduate of SCAD, (Savannah College of Art and Design).

My work is a process called Gyotaku, also known as ‘Fish Printing’. Gyotaku is a Japanese artform that originated before cameras as a way for fishermen to record their catch of the day. It is done by laying the fish flat, painting it with ink, placing rice paper or fabric overtop, and then pressing it down. The impression is transferred to the paper, and when it is lifted, the mirror image of the fish is revealed.

The ink that I choose to use is traditional black sumi ink. It is non-toxic, therefore once the fish is rinsed off, it is completely safe to eat or be used as bait.

Once the printing process is done, I use watercolors to paint in the coloration of the fish, along with any characterizing details such as spots or stripes.