Missed Opportunity
When I started working in the Department of Art & Art History at CU in 1989, I came to know Professor Ken Iwamasa. He taught photo and was a very skilled print maker. Eventually, I learned that he had a passion for fly fishing and was quite famous in the national and international communities for his fly tying designs.
It wasn’t until 2023, when the department staff decided to create a Staff Exhibition, that Ken re-entered my attention. I had regained a great deal of interest in tying flies and I thought it would be interesting to create a work that recognized the retired professor and could show case my renewed interest in tying.
I did a bit of research and was amazed at his accomplishments and notoriety in the national and international fly fishing communities.
In an attempt to pay homage to Ken’s work, I learned to tie one of his patterns—the Number One Midge. This pattern was designed to match the insect’s physicality during the emergence stage from pupa to adult stage in its life cycle. In studying the pattern, I became very aware of the elegance, simplicity, and gestural form of the shuck—it resembled the stroke of the Japanese skilled calligrapher’s use of brush and ink.
I cannot confirm that this was Ken’s intention. But it got me to think about the influence of culture that results in traditions of expression in art, even evident in a fly pattern.
Missed opportunity.
I didn’t know of his work and contributions to many communities through fly fishing during the time we spent together.
I never had the chance to appreciate and thank him for his work; work that paved the road for many fly fishers to come.
He also paved the way for me to explore fly tying as a valid esthetic quest, one capable of availing a great deal of content.
I wish I could have had the opportunity to thank him.