I’ve loved getting to know the literal ebbs and flows of my local stream in the Catskills and it’s gotten to the point where I think I know where certain sized fish live (ie huge ones in this deep pool, little guys in this riffle) And then… while out fly fishing a little while back I met this fellow:
This brown trout is around 30”! (The painting is too.) It’s by far the largest thing I’ve ever caught here. And sure, it’s very cool to catch an unexpected lunker. But it’s probably most fun to have my suspicion—confirmed!—that, wherever one’s angling, a very surprising fish could be around that next bend.
I’m also lucky to have a local New York DEC biologist around the valley these days. I showed him a pic and he confirmed it’s a fully wild fish. As in, it’s not stocked. (Though, yes brown trout are not native to North America so it is a long lost relative of a stocked fish.) It was an honor to meet you Giant Fish! Thanks for letting me take a look!
And speaking of taking a look, thanks to everyone who came out to my event at The Met last week!
I can’t say enough how much of a delight and honor it was to be get to share this book about color to hundreds of participants throughout the day at THE MET. We made the pigment! We colored SO MUCH! And even got to help celebrate the first birthday for the Met’s 81st Street Studio—their special kids’ space full of all sorts of interactive fun and museum guides. Really—it’s amazing. Pop in next time you’re there!
Still haven’t picked up a copy of What Is Color? You can buy it anywhere books are sold including online at bookshop.org. I also have signed copies at Briars & Brambles in Windham, Rough Draft in Kingston, and down in NYC I have signed copies at Books Are Magic and Community Bookstore.
Wanna come chat about color and/or fish with me?
I’ll be painting fish (with my messy palette and all!) at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum annual Emerging Anglers Gala TOMORROW, this Saturday. It’s on the museum grounds from 5:30-9:30. A last ticket or two should still be available HERE.
And then NEXT weekend I’ll be at the Starr Library in Rhinebeck Saturday, September 21 at 11 AM talking about What Is Color? Register for that event HERE. This is a very kid friendly event and we’ll be coloring up a storm! Oblong Books will have copies of What Is Color? for sale I’ll be more than happy to sign and doodle in for ya.
As always, thanks so much for reading!
-Steven