New York Art World ®

Lois Fisher
American Artist

Biography

Oil paint is, for me, a wonderfully versatile medium. It has a buttery texture that can be used for impasto brushwork or diluted for delicately transparent effects, whatevr the expressive purpose is.

I work indoors in the winter, especially on figure and portrait paintings, which is a special love. I'm fascinated by both the abstract beauty of the human figure and the emotional complexity of a face. Years of studying figure drawing and anatomy have given me the basic tools. My goal is to use these technical skills to capture the psychological nuances of posture and expression.

During the warmer months I paint outdoors in New York city, and also along the banks of the Hudson River and at beach locations, especailly Cape Cod. Although I grew up in New York City, it is still a source of never-ending adventure. Central Park, in particular, has been a second home. There the elements of water, landscape and sky mingle with architecture and vital street life. I love how the soft contours of nature contrast with the warm tones and geometric shapes of buildings and bridges. After a decade of summers visiting Cape Cod, I have become deeply attached to the landscape of the Outer Cape: the grandeur of the immense dunes and ocean and the subtle beauty of soft-toned marsh grass, delicate beach foliage, and changing sky. The quality of light there is unique.

As a landscape painter, I enjoy working mostly en plein air. Sometimes I will use photographs to refresh my memory for details or as an aid to enlarge an on-site sketch to a large canvas. I may spend days trying to find a subject or at times a certain light effect or arrangement of forms sparks immediate excitement. In portrait and figure work, I prefer to work from life but also enjoy painting from good quality photographs.

I have participated in national exhibitions and shown in a number of galleries in Manhattan, Westchester, and New Jersey. Over the years, I've studied at the National Academy's School of Fine Arts and The Art Student's League. I've been elected to membership in the National Association of Women Artists.