Snapshot In Time: Fish shacks are small sheds originally built in remote coves and harbors that housed early commercial fishermen. Fish shacks began to appear in all parts of the United States in the mid-1800s and continued to be built with few changes through the early 1950s. As you might imagine, every year many of these quaint little houses disappear because of old age or wharf side modernization. Some have been refitted to hold the gear of sailors and their sailboats.

Art Smart Fact: This is not a tranquil picture; the artist did not want the viewer to feel calm. It is a very energetic picture in which a lot is happening in this little harbor town. Leonard Pytlak captured the busyness and flurry of activity here by using lots of angles and curls and unstraight shapes. The boy is striding, the birds are flying, the boats are sailing, the wind is blowing. It is a wonderful day to be alive!

About The Art: There’s a saying that every picture tells a story and Leonard Pytlak was a master at it! You can figure out a lot about the place in this picture just by looking at it for a little while. Pytlak was an exceptional artist.....he had the special ability to take a simple everyday scene and endow it with enduring feeling and timeless appeal. As in this work, Pytlak produced colors that had rich tonal qualities and that were bright and fresh. He originated the method of using thinner layers of ink to create a look typically associated with that of watercolors. Coastal scenes with historical significance are enjoying a renewed interest because of the large number of people living near or acquiring a second home near the water.

Note: SAILBOATS & FISH SHACKS comes conservation framed and matted in a classic-style, solid walnut frame designed around the same time this silkscreen was done and at no extra cost.