Discover Delmarva Arts: Eastern Shore Gyotaku

SALISBURY, Md. — For Robby Chin, fishing comes first, and art comes second. But the two passions come together in his unique approach to a centuries-old Japanese art form called Gyotaku.

His motto is simple: catch, paint, press, release. And that process allows Robby to turn his latest catch into a piece of art — and enjoy a nice meal afterwards.

“It’s just wholesome, it’s rooted in the philosophy of zero waste, which I love. I can catch something, paint on it, press it, and rinse it off and still eat it afterwards,” Chin said.

When he started sharing his work on social media a few years ago, he didn’t know what the response would be, but. . . “It just became a really nice personal outlet for me but then I found out it resonated with other people, so we kept up with it. . . The other part is, I’ve just got another reason to go fishing.”

Robby says that practicing Gyotaku comes with lots of life lessons — and he hopes to pass those on to the next generation of artists. “A big takeaway for me practicing this art form has been to just get out there and try; be open to trying new things, and be open to asking for help.”

For Robby, Gyotaku is more than just a hobby — it’s a way to preserve the memory of the catch and keep a centuries old tradition alive. “Knowing our impermanence on this earth and really trying to make the most of the moment, really appreciating and understanding where your food comes from, and Gyotaku just seems to kind of embody all of that.”

Follow Robby on Instagram and Facebook, and learn more about Gyotaku at https://easternshoregyotaku.com/