Spotted Ray

In the 1970’s, I was stationed in Beaufort SC; an area of the eastern seaboard known as the “low country”. The waters around Beaufort boasted some of the best salt water fishing for sea trout, cobia and shark. It was also the home to a variety of sting rays, including huge manta rays with wingspans of 20 feet or more. There were a lot of tall tales about the biggest rays ever caught in Beaufort, but the one I had heard more than a few times involved a local farmer having to drag his catch out of the water with a tractor!! 

“Spotted Ray” was constructed with a rusty tractor seat embellished with vintage brass concho spots. The “body” of the ray was made with wet molded leather finished with pearlized acrylics. The “tail” was fashioned with Coban bandage over copper tubing and the eyes are vintage glass taxidermy eyes.