CHRIS HOULT
I have been producing and experimenting with art for nearly 5 decades, predominantly shooting and printing black and white photography. I was introduced to Japanese fish printing, Gyotaku, a couple of years ago by a fishing buddy and have embraced the medium. I prefer the tactility of the printing methods, whether it’s inking a fish and making a direct contact print onto paper/cloth or exposing a black and white positive, (hand printed in the darkroom), to direct sunlight to produce, a gum oil photograph.
My black and white photographs are hand printed in the darkroom and are limited editions.
The Gyotaku fish prints and the gum oils are, because of the printing procedure and the many variables involved, all unique prints. Particularly the Gyotaku prints as after I have printed the fish we eat it!
I also enjoy working with wood and often make custom frames for some of my prints. I am a fan of Shou Sugi Ban, the Japanese method of charring timber, for not only preserving the wood but providing a beautiful finish as well. I love using old wood with it’s weathered patina, it can be extremely difficult to work with but the result is worth the effort.
