We are a collaboration of two gyotaku artists, Lisa Lee Herman and Jessica Felby. Gyotaku is the Japanese art of fish printing (gyo = fish, taku = printing), but since we use this technique to print more than fish, we became TAKU+TAKU.
In a pandemic-induced slow down on small vacation islands, we both had time to explore this art-form, one thing you could still do was fish! This resulted in a change of creative direction for each of us. We both opened a studio gallery and we both started creating products featuring our art.... but on the other side of the world from each other.... then we met in person. With the same ambitions and philosophies, it was obvious to us from that first meeting that we should team up and benefit from more diverse skills and artistic styles, offer a wider scope of species, and be local in one than one locale.
Lisa’s gallery in Islamorada in the Florida Keys helps her to keep one eye on consumers and trends, and Jessica is now focused on customers via her studio and B2B showroom on the Danish island of Bornholm.
“Living in vacation destinations, we understand the vacationers mindset, let us work with you to translate your local fin, flora or forest into decor to dream in”
who are TAKU + TAKU?
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
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Lisa Lee Herman
Hi! I’m Lisa, a professional marine artist located in the heart of Islamorada, a stunning resort island in the Florida Keys. I found my path to Gyotaku growing up on the ocean sport fishing in Fort Lauderdale.
This unique art, paired with my love for fishing and respect for the ocean, was all I needed for endless inspiration.
As a gallery owner for nearly a decade, I notice my gyotaku has a unique way of grabbing the attention of each person who visits my gallery. Inspired by clients reactions to my original pieces, I began to expand my art onto fine china, textiles, glass, and more, bringing my art into a wide range of sustainable products.
This timeless yet technical process of fish printing is undoubtedly cool. Seeing my art jump from the traditional Japanese washi papers onto luxurious product reaching a global audience is my aspiration - Lisa Lee
Lisa Lee Herman: Islamorada, Florida Keys, USA
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Jessica Felby
Most of my professional life has been as design lead for some of the world’s biggest companies and brands, specialising in creating the holistic look and feel of a brand across every touchpoint, every material, every occasion. I thrive on creative and technical challenges to bring designs to life in stunning ways.
But floating on the sea, or through forests, touches my soul and I return home with pockets filled with beautiful souvenirs collected from nature.
Now I have combined my love of the sea and forests with my design acumen and my desire to capture the beauty of the natural world, by creating sustainable, deeply alluring products, featuring our own prints - from nature, not just of nature.
After living in the UK, Canada, the US and Belgium, I have now settled in Scandinavia with my Danish husband and our son. My studio and showroom is located on the beautiful Baltic Sea island of Bornholm - Jessica
Jessica Felby: Bornholm, Denmark.
all of the sea creatures that we print are sustainably fished we practice a catch-print-eat philosophy so that the fish is not only used for art, but also for a family meal our art materials, from inks to fabric are natural, organic and ethically manufactured and finally, all of our products are not only ethically produced in Europe or North America, but also made to the highest quality and durability standards to last a lifetime, and beyond
