The Fly Fishing Church (forthcoming)
The Fly Fishing Church is an ongoing project with two interconnected parts: a community initiative and a speculative art practice.
The first is a free program introducing people to fly fishing who may not otherwise have access—whether due to financial, physical, or cultural barriers. It begins with foundational skills like fly tying and casting, then moves onto the water. Grounded in outdoor experience, the project emphasizes the slow, attentive, and meditative qualities of fly fishing, alongside conversation and shared time outside. Through this process, it supports self-determination and fosters physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
The second is an art practice rooted in speculative fiction, incorporating writing, poetry, and sculpture. It imagines a future where fly fishing has evolved into a form of religious practice, with rivers, lakes, and streams serving as sites of gathering, reflection, and devotion.
In this environmentally uncertain future, practitioners travel in search of fishable waters and moments of ecological abundance, maintaining a strict catch-and-release ethic. Their practice challenges the impulse to possess or destroy what we value, confronting our predatory instincts and proposing restraint as a path toward ecological balance.
Sculpture plays a central role, embodying the craft of fly fishing through material exploration while expressing a deep reverence for fish and water. Alongside the written elements, these works extend the project’s focus on ritual, care, and devotion into physical form.