The Artist: Burt Lancaster

Seven years of Burt’s childhood were spent in Japan where he did his first fish rubbing at the age of 11. His long-standing love of nature and deep appreciation for the beauty of God’s creations compel him to capture the brilliant as well as subtle colors, shapes, details and textures of the aquatic life he admires so greatly.

Burt has attempted to express a variety of colors, textures and compositions through this unique artform, breaking with the traditional boundaries of this historic medium. Today, Gyotaku is an alternative to mounting fish, and has become a recognized form of fine art.

Burt has a consuming passion for the art of gyotaku and a destiny to produce the finest, most detailed and imaginative rubbings humanly possible. He hopes that those who experience his gyotaku artwork will have a greater appreciation for the magnificence of nature and of water creatures in particular.

Before becoming an accomplished and award-winning gyotaku artist, Burt was a wildlife artist, biology student, and Marine infantryman in Vietnam in the late 1960s. He makes his home with his wife, Gladys, in Tampa, Florida. The Lancasters travel extensively exhibiting gyotaku in fine art shows and galleries, and conducting museum seminars to teach children the art of gyotaku painting.

Where to Find Burt Lancaster

You can see Burt’s gyotaku art in the following locations:
• Bonefish Grill – find location
• The Finn Gallery / P. Buckley Moss – downtown St. Petersburg, FL
• The Pentagon – Washington, D.C.
• Gallery – Coast Rica