Art imitating angling ...

I was sad to discover recently that John Searl, a fine angling artist (and, indeed, I'm led to believe a fine angler) had died. His art has illustrated a number of fishing books in my library, and I enjoyed watching him gently coach Geoffrey Palmer into landing a chub in one of the episodes of the admirable TV series "The Compleat Angler."
Angling has a distinguished history of producing fine artists, a tradition which sems to have proliferated in the 20th and 21st Centuries. Bernard Venables, Paul Cook, Karen Sarkar, and Chris Turnbull spring to mind, but- much though I enjoy their art, my personal top four are as follows:

Number Four- Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper's stylised and striking fish portraits, particularly of pike and predators have adorned the dust jackets of a number of best-selling angling books. A master of his craft.




Number Three- Robin Armstrong
Not only an accomplished painter of fish, but also of birds and general wildlife themes. If you get an opportunity to purchase a copy of his book "Dartmoor River" don't pass it up- a truly delightful book.

Number Two- David Miller
Now a feature on our annual rod licenses, David Miller's depictions of underwater life have a large following. His eye for detail brings to mind  a Korda underwater video without the distraction of the commentary.

 

 

 Number One- Adriano Manocchio

Although I'm neither a fly fisherman or an American, Monacchio's depictions of the North American fly fishing experience are my favourite examples of angling art. The highest compliment that I can pay to his work is that, like his countryman Norman Maclean's novella "A River Runs Through It", his art manages to evoke all that's aesthetic in our pastime, and makes me want to reach for my rods and make for the riverbank.