King Salmon

6/15/14 Lamy cartridge ink, Van Gogh watercolor, water-soluble
colored pencil, Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook

My dad, who owned an auto body repair shop and worked six days a week most of his life, reserved Sundays for his favorite pastime: salmon fishing. During the season, he’d get up around 3 a.m. to make the two-and-a-half hour drive to West Port on the Washington coast. On a bad day, the entire chartered boat would “skunk,” and he’d come home sleepy and empty-handed. But on a good day, the boat would limit out early, and we’d watch him heft a huge king salmon – or two or three! – from the cooler.

This sketch was made from one of many photos I have of him holding a prize catch.

Happy Father’s Day, dad.