Why is Painting like Fishing???

Dear Friends and Family,

When I was a kid, I went fishing almost every afternoon after school with my uncle Bill.

Before he’d get home from work I’d walk down the street to Dee’s Bait & Tackle to buy a can of worms.  Uncle Bill arrived home and we’d go fishing.

Last March I claimed that Painting was like Cooking, but painting (at least plein air painting) is also a lot like fishing.

Why?  Here are 6 reasons:

1.  When you go out painting or fishing you need to make sure you have the appropriate gear.  Fishing tackle will depend on which fish are biting, what time of year it is and what type of water you’re fishing in, whether a lake, a river or the ocean.  For painting equipment, read my previous post My Painting “Go-Bag”.

2.  You may not catch anything.  Or you may not catch anything worthwhile.  So throw it back in.  When you paint, it’s the same thing.  But I always save the sketch.  You can always learn something from your failures.

3.  You may have to wander around awhile looking for a good “spot”.  Every fisherman has his or her favorite “fishin’ hole.”  Likewise with painters.  But you can’t over-do this.  Wherever you are, you can find something worthwhile to paint, if you look hard enough.

4.  Sometimes the best part of the outing is just sitting in nature and enjoying the scenery.  Some days the fish are just not biting.  If this happens, just start putting paint on the canvas.  You never know.

5.  Both fishermen and painters are looking for the “Big One”.  Fishermen want to catch the fish that’s at the bottom of that deep pool, the one that got away last time, and bring it home as a trophy.  Painters are looking to plumb the depths of inspiration and imagination to come up with a masterpiece, (or at least a good painting they can take home and hang on the wall).

6.  And last but not least, it’s always better and more fun to go on Painting Safari, (or Fishing Safari) with a friend…

…or uncle.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Felice