Raejean Clark’s love of her native Gulf Coast area, combined with her desire to “use fresh eyes” has led her to the art form called Gyotaku. Raejean and her husband, novelist Norman German, fish the waters near their home in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and their catch provides the artist with material for her images. She inks the fish, presses an image to canvas, then seasons the image to reflect her Southeast Texas/Southwest Louisiana heritage. She seeks to explore the ordinary, to confirm how extraordinary we all are. Raejean’s images were featured in Louisiana Life magazine and appear on six covers of Louisiana Literature. She has been selected to participate in a permanent public exhibit at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital called “Art for the Soul.” Her images are also held in private collections. She is represented in Lake Charles by the Frame House Gallery and has been invited to do summer showing at the Beauregard Gallery in Baton Rouge. More about Raejean and her art can be found at her website: www.raejeanclark.com
With each piece of art, a distinct culture of existence emerges as the artist weaves herself into the depths of vibrant waters where Nature and Art intertwine:
A Redfish, caught in the Calcasieu River near the Salt Water Barrier, was printed to become "SportFish." This image was chosen as the Spring 2009 cover of Louisiana Literature. "SportFish" also appeared in the January 2009 Louisiana Life magazine.
A Redfish, caught in the Calcasieu River near the Salt Water Barrier, was printed to become "Across the Universe". On that cold, starry night our dark River was streaked silver with Shad. So many that the Reds were picky and preferred those mercurial minnows over our rattletraps. No matter, in the end we were one Redfish and one million silver bits richer.
I'm intrigued by ancient art found deep in the Earth. Those early artists faced enormous obstacles and limited resources to create images that chronicled their daily lives. Redfish, caught near the Salt Water Barrier in Lake Charles, Louisiana, were printed to become an image that celebrates the people who were here first, and who loved this place first. "Cave Painting" also appeared in the January 2009 Louisiana Life magazine.
I was printing these fish when my husband walked through my studio and punned the title. I immediately added the fleurs-de-lis and a new series was hatched! Whether you call them White Perch, Crappie, or Sac-a-Lait, these little fish now continue their journey dressed in splendid new fins.
#1 of 5 Panels
We were fishing in Lake Charles, following the seagulls and fishing where they fished. My favorite catch that day was a gafftopsail catfish. The top and side fins could've easily been wings, or sails. I painted them as both and now the little wiggly gafftop sails through perpetual summer skies off Shell Beach.
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Updated: 22 July 2009