Here’s the second part of our interview with Tyler Hackett, the artist and fly fisherman many of us came to know through his artist’s portal Wandering Blue Lines. Read the first part of the interview posted yesterday here.
Please give us an overview of your process in creating your art.
I will try to keep this simple, because I realize a lot of folks might not know what a woodcut print is and I don’t want to make them think it is a big complicated process. Each piece starts as a drawing that maps out all the important elements I want to include in the piece. The drawing is traced onto a prepared piece of plywood and I am ready to begin. I carve away all the areas of the image that I don’t want printed, the raised part of the wood that remains is what will receive the ink and be printed on a piece of paper. I roll a thin layer of ink across the surface of the carving, place a piece of paper on top of the ink and run it through my hand-operated printing press. At this point the ink has been transferred, and essentially the print is done unless I need to make changes to the carving or add other layers.
I have been turning some of the prints of fish into “ready to hang” prints. I individually add color to each fish, mount the print on a ¾” thick piece of wood and cut it out, so it is ready to hang, as is, on a wall or wherever someone thinks it will look good. They are meant to be a modern version of old fish mounts you would see hanging in older fishing lodges or tackle shops.
We’re fascinated about what makes creative people create – where do get or derive your creative mojo and how do you nurture it in a world that’s anything but creative these days?
I have found that it helps to make creating a habit, and maintain that habit. The longer you keep at it the easier it seems to be to continue. I also think that being around two young children so often has helped nurture my creativity, especially in regards to focusing more on the fish art. Watching my sons create reminded me that making art should be fun and involve something you are passionate about. My sons are constantly drawing pictures of things that excite them and they seem very happy about that. Fish, and fish related things excite me and creating art relating to that makes me happy.
You’re part of an ever-increasing cadre of creatives and business owners who are donating part of their proceeds to help make the world a better place. What’s your inspiration for doing so, and who’s on your donee list ?
I draw a lot of inspiration from non-profits and other groups, which are usually started and staffed by volunteers, who are out there doing a lot of hard work to make the world a better place. There are a lot of groups like this within the fly fishing and outdoor communities, and I figure there is no reason not to put my talents to use for the benefit of others, and for the betterment of something I get so much enjoyment from. Last year I donated to a local group called the Utah Stream Access Coalition as well as Casting For Recovery. I am always on the lookout for groups I can help and would love to hear from some if they are reading this.
What’s been your absolute favorite piece to create so far and why? What’s on the list for upcoming projects?
If I have to pick one as my absolute favorite I would say the print I made of a single fish scale (ed-the final image below). I learned earlier this year that a fish’s scales, once magnified tell the fish’s life story through its growth rings. I made a mini print (image size 1.5”x2”) of a magnified, single Salmonid scale. This print is my favorite because it was such a challenge to replicate the detail of all the growth rings in such a small image and because it was a result of leaning something new and unexpected about fish.
The list for upcoming projects is always growing, right now I am pretty excited about the multi-color woodcuts I have been making and am planning to make more of them. I am also thinking about ways I could take my art and process on the road, combining a fishing road trip with fishy art making.
If you could encourage fly fishers to do just one thing in terms of stewardship this next year, what would that be?
I would encourage fly fishers to become more aware of problems or issues that impact their home waters, and make an effort to be part of the solution. On some waters this can be as simple as picking up trash and leaving the area better than you found it. On other waters this might mean being aware of how water levels and temperatures affect fish health mortality, especially when handling and releasing fish. The list of issues is a long one, so basically what I am saying is respect the fish and the watery environment they swim in.
Many thanks to Tyler for taking the time to share a bit of his history, process and inspiration with us. Keep those kids drawing and fishing…
Cheers.
