The Gyotaku artist works to create easily recognizable, full-scale translations of a fish rather than precise replicas. Jaxs paintings capture the essential, individual elements of each subject. The final fish print is a result of the artist’s love of the environment, attention to detail and an imaginative use of materials.

The Artist
While the ancient Fish Printing Art of Gyotaku (gee-yo-tah’-koo) originated in Japan, artist Jaxsfish (a.k.a. Jack Schwartz) does not. Born in Brooklyn, he is the son of Bernie of Bernie’s Fishing Tackle in Sheepshead Bay and it is this connection that explains his love of fishing, and the marine environment.

Jaxs has been practicing Gyotaku for 35 years. Originally his fish prints were done exclusively with students as part of their ecosystems study. However his interest in Gyotaku as a fine art expanded and he has been fortunate to have studied under a Master Japanese Gyotaku artist as well as with several American artists. His work has been displayed by invitation at the International Fish Print Show in Japan and is in the permanent collection at the College of the Atlantic in Maine.

Jaxs, his family and friends, fish on his boat the Aunt Chovy out of Moriches Bay, Long Island. Together they manage to boat stripers, tuna, blues, mahi, a variety of bottom fish and the odd little shark or triggerfish for the table and for printing.