The life of a fishermen is not only perilous out in the deep blue sea what with the vagaries of weather, but also tough. Maintenance of boat and nets is a laborious affair, and here the dutiful wife even helps out to hasten the chore of mending nets. A fleet of bangau with the intricate designs with a brighter array of colours than his usual duller palette indicate that this fishing community is better-off economically. Even with a catch, which is better than no-catch or a meagre haul, the fishes have to be sorted out and in some cases, put out in the sun to be dried. Quality and type count too, as the pricier variety and bigger-sized mean more income. This is one of the pet subjects of Ismail Mat Hussin, who lived and mixed with these fishermen in his Kelantan home all his life. His other favourite subjects are culture, traditional crafts and pastimes. Artist-musician Ismail Mat Hussin took up painting in 1968 after learning the rudiments at the Padang Garong school from Nik Mahmood. With a Grade V Royal School of Music certificate in violin, he was able to work part-time as a musician with the Kota Baru branch of Radio Televisyen Malaysia besides being a graphic designer cum illustrator at Dian Printing Company. Ismail was a member of the Angkatan Pelukis SeMalaysia (APS) and Persatuan Senilukis Kelantan (Peseni). He also painted in watercolours, mostly on beach scenes.