Gary Fisher
© 2015-2025 Gary Fisher
Trompe L'oeil Fountain #3, 2016-2017 12"x6"x3"
(acrylic, pump, electronic audio sound board, amplifier, speaker)
The fountain depicts a stylized interpretation of islands in a slowly undulating sea. I have used an audio analog to visual tromp l'oeil by incorporating soundscapes recorded from nature into the fountain. As with visual tromp l'oeil, a person experiencing the fountain will naturally assume that the sound is consistent with the water behavior, although on close examination one will unexpectedly find that it is not.
The fountain depicts a stylized interpretation of islands in a slowly undulating sea. I have used an audio analog to visual tromp l'oeil by incorporating soundscapes recorded from nature into the fountain. As with visual tromp l'oeil, a person experiencing the fountain will naturally assume that the sound is consistent with the water behavior, although on close examination one will unexpectedly find that it is not.
Tandem Ski for Making a Large Circular Track in Compacted Snow, 2017 46.5"x4"x2" (Nature of Reality Series)
(plywood, fiberglass, injection molded plastic, metal)
What at first glance appears to be a common cross country ski is purposely non-functional. The conceptual "ski" illustrates how one's visual perception of reality is colored by prior experience and preconceptions.
What at first glance appears to be a common cross country ski is purposely non-functional. The conceptual "ski" illustrates how one's visual perception of reality is colored by prior experience and preconceptions.
Redux, 2021, 4" x 4" x41"
C 2021 Gary Fisher
spilitered recurve archery bow, unravelled bow string, walnut column
spilitered recurve archery bow, unravelled bow string, walnut column
Thin Place, 2019, 4" x 4" x 11"
Brazilian walnut, hemispherical glass dome, photography
"Thin Place" is a conceptual metaphor for thin places in Celtic Christian mythology. The earth is represented by a distressed solid walnut column - an evocation of wabi-sabi. The sky is represented by a solid glass hemispherical dome having a photograph of clouds at its base. Viewed from above the clouds appear three dimensional as if one were looking at the earth from above. When viewed in nature from the side, the dome reflects a microcosm of earth and sky thus reinforcing the metaphor.
"Thin Place" is a conceptual metaphor for thin places in Celtic Christian mythology. The earth is represented by a distressed solid walnut column - an evocation of wabi-sabi. The sky is represented by a solid glass hemispherical dome having a photograph of clouds at its base. Viewed from above the clouds appear three dimensional as if one were looking at the earth from above. When viewed in nature from the side, the dome reflects a microcosm of earth and sky thus reinforcing the metaphor.
Babble Tower #1, 2019, 5.2" x 12" x 3"
dot matrix display, microcontroller, milled white oak, acrylic
Babble Tower 1 is a conceptual work dealing with audio synesthesia. Two- hundred onomatopoeic words are displayed in random, non-repeating order with a 2.75 second time lag between words. This allows the viewer sufficient time to "hear" each word as it is presented. The random order adds unexpected associations between successive word sounds.
Babble Tower 1 is a conceptual work dealing with audio synesthesia. Two- hundred onomatopoeic words are displayed in random, non-repeating order with a 2.75 second time lag between words. This allows the viewer sufficient time to "hear" each word as it is presented. The random order adds unexpected associations between successive word sounds.
Refraction, 2018, 17" x 6" x 4"
arrow, solid white oak block
"Refraction" is a conceptual work dealing with the nature of reality. The piece comprises an arrow ostensibly shot through a solid block of wood. Upon examination the fletched and pointed segments of the arrow are parallel but displaced vertically in the wood block; much like an object's image is refracted in water. The piece conflates the perception of what we are actually seeing with what is physically realizable.
"Refraction" is a conceptual work dealing with the nature of reality. The piece comprises an arrow ostensibly shot through a solid block of wood. Upon examination the fletched and pointed segments of the arrow are parallel but displaced vertically in the wood block; much like an object's image is refracted in water. The piece conflates the perception of what we are actually seeing with what is physically realizable.
This is a non-functional bow fragment and unwound string. In "Redux" the bow fragment is given a new life. Since a broken bow implies a potential tragedy to an archer, the meaning to an archer is potentially foreboding. To others the work is meant to appear enigmatic.
Fifty Haiku on the Nature of Reality, 2016-2017, 4" x 3" x 2"
(TFT display, touch pad, microcontroller, custom software, custom acrylic enclosure, original poetry)
Fifty Haiku I wrote on the nature of reality are presented in random, non-repeating order, each by the press of the touch pad. Individual poems are presented one line at a time with a delay between lines. A 5-7-5 syllable formalism has been followed although in English it is arbitrary. Also the Japanese conceptual Haiku form has purposely not been followed since it doesn't lend itself to the subject matter treated.
Fifty Haiku I wrote on the nature of reality are presented in random, non-repeating order, each by the press of the touch pad. Individual poems are presented one line at a time with a delay between lines. A 5-7-5 syllable formalism has been followed although in English it is arbitrary. Also the Japanese conceptual Haiku form has purposely not been followed since it doesn't lend itself to the subject matter treated.
Coming Back. 2016-2017, 6"x6"x2"
(TFT touch screen, microcontroller, custom software, wood, acrylic, original poem)
I have investigated new ways to experience poetry by combining poetry and display technology: The aim is for the viewer to experience poetry in mental spoken word. "Coming Back" is a poem about the nature of reality. In the display the timing between syllables, words, lines, and stanzas is purposely varied to allow the viewer to mentally "hear" the poem in the way it was intended to be spoken by the poet. Outside of the work's poetic context, this approach might be of use in enriching the poetry experience for the profoundly hearing impaired. An obvious extension would be to use modified language translation algorithms to generate written poems (or text) in realistic tempo and phrasing in real time from spoken word.
I have investigated new ways to experience poetry by combining poetry and display technology: The aim is for the viewer to experience poetry in mental spoken word. "Coming Back" is a poem about the nature of reality. In the display the timing between syllables, words, lines, and stanzas is purposely varied to allow the viewer to mentally "hear" the poem in the way it was intended to be spoken by the poet. Outside of the work's poetic context, this approach might be of use in enriching the poetry experience for the profoundly hearing impaired. An obvious extension would be to use modified language translation algorithms to generate written poems (or text) in realistic tempo and phrasing in real time from spoken word.
Selected Mixed Media/Sculpture
Non-Series Work