Marie Fischer was born with a passion for art, but it wasn’t until she was in the ninth grade that she got her start. While she spent a month bedridden with illness, drawing provided an outlet for energy. Still, it would take another 50 years before Fischer truly considered herself as an artist.

Throughout her marriage to her husband, who served in the Air Force, Fischer lived in 17 different places, experiencing diverse cultures across the globe. Amidst this constant change, swimming became her anchor. While living in the Philippines, she swam two miles almost daily, immersing herself in the natural beauty of reefs, sea life, and water movements that continue to inspire her art.

She was also able to travel through Thailand, studying the vibrant colors of her surroundings, and was struck by the contrast of the deep orange of Buddhist monks’ robes with the rich blue of the ocean. Later, while working in the fine jewelry department at Nordstrom, this natural artist remembers being inspired. “When I look at the wonderful blue of a sapphire or the green of an emerald, it speaks to me,” she says.

Her son’s graduation from the Savannah School of Art and Design reignited her passion for art, prompting her to make a life-changing decision. “If I don’t stop and do it, I’ll regret it the rest of my life. So, I quit my job at Nordstrom and chased my dream,” she recalls. 

After leaving her job, Fischer attended multiple art schools up and down the East Coast, including Boston’s School of the Museum of Fine Arts where she would meet her mentor, Robert Douglas Hunter, in the Copley Masters Program and study under the renowned artist for seven years. 

Fischer’s art reflects the world around her like a lively mosaic, particularly the scenes she observes on her walks along the Cape, where her favorite inspirations are the Chatham Fish Pier, watching the fishermen bring in their catch, and the beach in Wellfleet where she stays each summer. She captures these moments through a unique technique, piecing together scenes from her photographs like a puzzle to highlight movement and color. “The Cape is just a perfect place for me, so refreshing and regenerating,” Fischer says. 

Movement is so important to Fischer that she prioritizes painting in places that people will pass through and says she enjoys the interaction as she works. In her previous home, Fischer enjoyed painting in the kitchen, allowing her to work while chatting with visitors or while cooking a family meal.  

Hunter, her mentor, taught Fischer that sitting while painting is taboo. “You mix your paint, you walk to the salon, you put some paint on your canvas, then you step significantly far back, maybe 10 or 12 feet and look at it. It makes a difference with the eye, and it is wonderful,” shares Fischer.

By painting with and around movement, Fischer can incorporate it into her artistic endeavors. It’s evident in her work, which rarely features a straight line or harsh corner; instead she opts for fluid, dancing colors that curve with the natural lines of figures and landscapes. Her choice of medium, oil paints, plays a crucial role in her artistic process. She favors oils for their forgiving nature, allowing her to adjust as she works. This flexibility not only provides her with the freedom to experiment, but also enables her to enhance the sense of motion and energy in her paintings. With oil paints, Fischer can layer colors and textures, building depth and complexity in her compositions. It is through that embodiment of the beauty of movement, that she invites viewers into a world of vibrant color and dynamic form. 

Fischer’s paintings are sold exclusively at Chatham Fine Art Gallery. She also accepts commissions through the gallery. See more at chathamart.com.