Wabi-sabi is a Japanese philosophy that places heavy emphasis on the acceptance and appreciation of aesthetic imperfection and impermanence. Like many Eastern philosophies, such as Zen Buddhism or Taoism, this world view highlights the beauty of nature as it comes: a pug-nose striped bass, though aesthetically imperfect, can be perceived as stronger or more unique for its differences under wabi-sabi. Mike Palmer, of Waquoit Bay Fish Company, explains that his artistic process is heavily influenced by wabi-sabi, but after closely observing his near-perfect depictions of stripers, summer flounder, and false albacore, you might find all this talk of imperfection to be rather ironic.
With degrees in marine science and fisheries oceanography from universities in Maine and Alaska, Palmer knows the ocean and its inhabitants very well. For 20 years, he was a fisheries scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and his professional writing and research appeared in numerous scientific journals, including the North American Journal of Fisheries Management.
Palmer has even discussed his research on the collapsing cod stock in the Gulf of Maine on NPR and the Discovery Channel, where his goal was to educate others and build appreciation for one of New England’s historic marine resources. Interestingly, during his two decades of marine studies with NOAA from the west coast to the east coast, he didn’t draw at all. In fact, Palmer hadn’t drawn a fish since graduate school, when an assignment for his master’s degree required him to produce original figures of walleye, pollock, and Pacific halibut to avoid copyright infringement.
After his time with NOAA, Palmer searched for a new career path that would invigorate him and allow him to express himself creatively. Each night, he eased back into drawing to boost confidence in his skills. Because he received minimal formal art instruction beyond high school, Palmer was left to develop his own style which, inevitably, combined his scientifically accurate renditions of fish with an appealing and clean aesthetic—an art form he calls “stylized realism.”
At one point, while thinking about possible business models for his young art career, Palmer illustrated a few commissioned pieces. However, he did not enjoy the pressure associated with meeting a client’s preconceived expectations of his work. He didn’t want to disappoint his customers, and the best way to do that was to adopt the philosophy of wabi-sabi. “Wabi-sabi helps me to accept flaws and mistakes in my work, and to just chill out. Minor mistakes are part of the natural process in any form of art. I don’t strive for perfection; instead, I strive for excellence in the time I’m allotted.” It was this philosophy, and the influence of local fish species, that led him to build his business, the Waquoit Bay Fish Company.
Today, Palmer produces original illustrations of the fish swimming in his backyard without the anxiety of commissioned work. After living in Alaska, Gloucester, Massachusetts, and eventually Woods Hole, he settled in the Child’s River Valley—a tributary of Waquoit Bay on the south side of Cape Cod, where he hopes to see the return of naturally reproducing sea-run brook trout.
Of all the species Palmer has illustrated, his favorite might surprise you. The finely detailed scales, subtle colorations of iridescent purple and green, and gold-tinged fins of the Atlantic menhaden bring character to each individual bunker he draws. And because Palmer primarily works on an 18×24 canvas, smaller fish like bunker are magnified and can be more acutely detailed than a bluefin tuna or a mahi-mahi.
One year and 40 species later, Palmer has developed an artistic process that helps him crank out drawings of the popular desirables—like striped bass and false albacore—without diminishing attention to detail. His first drawing is always done in black and white with graphite pencils, and he references photos and videos to attain the right proportions and proper orientation. Then, working on high-quality hemp paper, he prints the graphite drawing to avoid smudging before attacking it with colored pencils. The pencils are waxy on the hemp paper and require a bit more pressure which, along with the finishing isopropyl treatment, gives the fish a realistic gloss, so much so that it appears it could swim off the page and onto your wall.
