New Reyn Spooner release highlights fishing tradition, Japanese gyotaku art

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Reyn Spooner is spotlighting Hawaii fishing traditions and Japanese artistic heritage with its new “Oio by Naoki” print, featuring original gyotaku artwork by Hawaii artist Naoki Hayashi.

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Hayashi will demonstrate the centuries-old fish-printing technique Saturday, July 18, from noon to 2 p.m. at Reyn Spooner’s Ala Moana Center store, turning the retail space into a working gyotaku studio as he creates a live fish print and explains the process behind the design.

The limited-edition print is inspired by oio, or Hawaiian bonefish, a recognizable local game fish long prized by fishermen and still used in traditional island dishes.

For the design, Hayashi created an original gyotaku print by transferring an image directly from the fish onto paper, a method that captures fine texture and detail. Reyn Spooner translated the artwork into a wearable pattern that reflects the fish’s shape and movement.

Customers who purchase the print during the in-store event can enter a giveaway for the original artwork created on-site, the company said.

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Made with Spooner Kloth, “Oio by Naoki” is offered in men’s button-front, pullover and tailored styles. The print comes in Adriatic Blue and Coral and retails for $128.

Hayashi began making gyotaku prints at age 11. An avid diver and fisher, he uses non-toxic acrylic paints and Japanese shoji paper to create life-accurate impressions of fish. He prints only from catch that will be eaten and treats each work as a record of the reef.

Reyn Spooner has been a leader in Hawaii’s fashion scene for 70 years, known for innovations including reverse prints and hand-painted designs. The company has 10 retail stores in Hawaii and sells its apparel in specialty and department stores in the U.S. and abroad, as well as online.

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More information is available at www.reynspooner.com.