b'tiger muskie, a carnivorous and sterile species that results from interbreeding between true muskellunge and northern pike, found in the Great Lakes regions, follows the curve of her swelling abdomen. The multicolored pattern in the background forms the northern lights and moon. Makuuchi said of this print: In Moon Catchers, the woman is nature. Shes pregnant with possibilities for Wisconsins next 150 years. 100Makuuchis contribution to the portfolio was printed and signed in 1999, although the portfolio was not formally finished until 2001. The new addition to Makuuchis family and the life he was building in Seattle clearly buoyed his sense of optimism for the future and his place in it. Unfortu-nately, his health continued to be precarious. In 2000 he traveled to Rancho Mirage, California, for another bypass operation. While recovering from the surgery, he suffered a fatal heart attack on May 29. 101When he died, Makuuchi left behind a wide-ranging body of work, particularly prints and poems. He had been unsuccessful in publishing his manuscript From Lake Minidoka to Lake Mendota and Back to the Northwest Sea, leaving multiple drafts. He had spent decades wandering, finally finding a home in Seattle. Returning to where we began, the work that most accurately captures the summation of Makuuchis life and artistic career is On Boys day, I I.D. with Rocky Mountain Salmon . . . / . . . So wheres the Salmon? (fig. 1). Looking again at this dynamic composition of leaping fish, we begin to discern the significance of its parts. The pole and flag at the center are part of the rituals celebrating the Japanese festival Boys Day (Tango-no-sekku), which is mentioned in the title. During observance of Boys Day, paper carp (one per male child) are flown in celebration of the healthy growth of sons. Makuuchi juxtaposes this traditional symbol of Japanese culture with images of running sockeye salmon, a species native to the Northwest coast. The paper carp, hanging slackly in limbo, is subject to the forces of the wind, while the salmon move freely. In this context, we see why Makuuchi seems to identify more with the salmon than with the carp. Migrating salmon face many trials to return to their spawning grounds, and only a fraction survive the journey. This makes the salmon an apt stand-in for the artist: a survivor who boldly and defiantly pursued his vision, searching for understanding for himself and his art. This exhibition is only a beginning in the work to be done to unpack the contribu-tions of Makuuchis varied artforms and establish a place for him in the history of American printmaking. FIGUREMoon Catchers CHECKLIST #5072'