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Artist Statement
My mixed media collages and assemblages blend surrealism with otherworldly imagery. Each work is a fragment of an intuitive story – odd and mysterious narratives that are familiar echoes of a long lost, often twisted fantasy or nightmare. Imagine Alice in Wonderland meets Max Ernst via Frida Kahlo.
A self-taught visionary artist, I accumulate images that resonate with unconscious potential from a wide range of illustrated sources found on the internet. Through an improvisational process I “paint” the canvas with paper and fibers, building texture and mood to create backdrops for collaged forms. These imaginary landscapes are inhabited by creatures and objects painstakingly hand cut from their printed sources. Intricately pieced frames made from glass tile fragments, sometimes interrupted by metal shards, vintage wood, and found objects, extend the scene – beautiful foils to unexpected scenarios. These sculptures often become elements of larger, more complex constructions.
Ultimately, I am obsessed with elaborate projects that involve breaking apart the whole, and then reassembling the disparate pieces and parts in an attempt to make sense out of the questions and chaos in my head. I am drawn to art that gets under my skin – like a thorn in my finger or pebble in my shoe.
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Press
View a PDF collection of stories and reviews.
Links:
Cool Hunting: Shelby Fischer, Artist
Lost At E Minor: Shelby Fischer's Mixed Media
Drawn: New Work from Shelby Fischer
Selected Quotes:
“All of her works are imbued with the magical mystery of life and the inevitability of death. Deceptively peaceful, they suggest potential danger.”
“...within each frame thrive human figures rendered with a contrasting, lifelike accuracy or a complicit, fantastical flair – some pieces mimic Da Vinci's sketches of the body while other recall Matisse's “Jazz” prints.”
“...Shelby Fischer's desire to tell powerful, poignant stories through the juxtaposition of strongly resonant images.”
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Resume
Shelby Fischer
Selected Exhibitions
- 2009
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Yard Art, Piedmont Virginia Community College (in conjunction with The Bridge and Second Street Gallery), Charlottesville, VA (group sites)
- 2008
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The Eternal Now, Les Yeux du Monde, Charlottesville, VA (solo)
New Art 2: Second Street Gallery Benefit Auction, Second Street Gallery, Charlottesville, VA (invitational auction/exhibition)
- 2007
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Firnew Farm Gallery (in conjunction with Second Street Gallery Holiday Studio Tour), Madison, VA (solo)
Memories of the Future, Piedmont Virginia Community College, Charlottesville, VA (solo)
Little Altars Everywhere, Piedmont Virginia Community College, Charlottesville, VA (group)
The Paper Quilt Project (invitational web-based group show)
- 2006
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act five, scene five, Les Yeux du Monde, Charlottesville, VA (solo)
- 2006
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Retrointrospective, Les Yeux du Monde, Charlottesville, VA (solo)
Bibliography
Harrison, Holly. Mixed-Media Collage: An Exploration of Contemporary Artists, Methods, and Materials. Beverly, Massachusetts: Quarry Books, 2007.
Alexander, Michael. "Art Life: Shelby Fischer." Albemarle Magazine (October/November 2007): 26.
Latter, Ruth. "Fischer Pieces Together a Compelling Collection." The Daily Progress, October 18, 2007, B1-B2.
"Cville Pick (with photograph)." C-Ville Weekly, October 6-22, 2007, 53.
Parsons, Laura. "Shelby Fischer's Passion for Pastiche." Virginia Living (June 2007): 37.
Parsons, Laura. "Audio to Visual: How Fischer Collaged Her Life." The Hook, March 1-7, 2007, 52-53.
Parsons, Laura. "Praiseworthy: PVCC Offers Artful Altars." The Hook, January 25-31, 2007, 45.
Parsons, Laura. "All That Glitters... Fischer's Flashy Pulp Fiction." The Hook, November 23-29, 2006, 60.
Bertran, Summer. "Art Life: Shelby Fischer." Albemarle Magazine (October/November 2006): 35.
Selected Collections
University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville, VA
Private collections in Colorado, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Vermont, and Virginia