Above are 3 images from John's
work
work
Below are links to further information about formative places and people that John and his wife Sandy Oppenheimer have been fortunate enough to have in thei
- The early years of PietrasantaI recently found a posting on Facebook of a movie about the vibrant carving community still thriving in Pietrasanta, Italy in the early 1970's. This was well before I arrived in the evolving community of international sculptors of the 1980's. The movie is in Italian, but it showcases a vitality that has existed in this area at the base of the marvelous mountains of marble that provide the materials for quaries, artists, and the traditional workers of this stone.
- Interview with John Fisher by Norm Nason
In this frank and insightful interview we discuss creativity with a man who processes this illusive quality in spades: renown stone-sculptor John Fisher—an American artist who spent twenty years in Italy, perfecting his craft in the shadow of Michelangelo. He is a man of intense passion and remarkable skills who takes a profoundly philosophical approach to art and its impact on communities. For over thirty years his public, on-site carvings have fascinated residents of the towns to which he is invited, as they observe his intuitive process. Without models or preliminary sketches, Fisher magically pulls figures out of the stone.
This interview was conducted by Norm Nason and was originally published in the website, Machines Like Us, on September 22, 2012. © Copyright Norm Nason—all rights reserved. No portion of this interview may be reproduced without written permission from Norm Nason. - In this video
John takes you on a tour of his workshop and gallery in the majestic woods of Northern California - Biography of teacher and mentor Tom Blodgett
"Tom Blodgett did more than fulfill his claim that he was “the van Gogh in America.” Rare is the artist who could claim to have dived as deep into the unconscious and survived the journey -- bringing back images of intense imagination and technical brilliance. As proof, this recluse had for nearly four decades before his death in 2012 kept his large and growing collection buried in a dilapidated shack in the hills of Eugene, Oregon. Now, the revelation of this extraordinary collection shines light on a master whose life and works, once reassessed, open a new approach for discourse about the purpose of art itself." - Wescover
Find exceptional art by John Fisher on Wescover.
Creativity is actually everywhere. Whether it’s a custom made wall hanging in a local cafe or beautiful blue velvet couch at your favorite hotel, it’s amazing how many unique elements of art and design we pass by everyday. However, when these things catch our eye, we’re left wondering: “Who made it?” “What’s the story?” and “Where can I find more?”
Wescover connects the people, places, and stories behind design objects that impact our everyday lives. Here, each item has context like you’d find in a gallery—from who the original Creator is, to what the story was behind it, to where you can see their work in the real world.
Artisan objects are created with care—from the imaginations of our local creators, they take shape in their studios and, once they’re sold, they’re a part of our stories too. These creator-made works are exceptional elements within our lives. If you have a space you’d like to share or creator you’d like to support, contact us. - The Compleat Sculptor
The Compleat Sculptor is your Compleat Source for Materials, Tools, Supplies & Services. If you are... a Sculptor, Prop Maker, Prototype Maker, Conservator, Police/FBI/Law Enforcer, Model Maker, Restorer, Architect, Body Caster, Display/Window Designer, 3D Mosaicist, Scenic Artist, Fine Art Student, Archeologist, Special Effects Artist, Mold-Maker , this is your one stop shop. Our store is located in New York City, since 1995! Currently our hours are Monday - Thursday: 10am - 8pm, Friday - Sunday: 10am - 6pm. - John Fisher video on the website of Dean Mars
John Fisher, world famous sculptor, came from Italy with a 16 ton piece of marble and set up in Elings Park in 2005. In a time period of three months he carved a sculpture for The Drug and Alcohol Center in Santa Barbara, Ca. Dean Mars made this video. He is an amazing and versatile artist himself. You can see his works at www.deanmars.com - John is represented by the Prentice Gallery in the village of Mendocino, CA.
His work will be featured there in the coming months. - Series of 9 videos of John working documented by Jamie Jobb
As a budding California artist, Fisher found his talents widely nurtured until he elected to study fine arts after high school graduation. His parents refused his wish to apply for the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, so John left home and "studied" art in college as a non-student. After that stunt, John left for Italy to pursue his passion under the marble mountains of Michelangelo. Two decades later the sculptor returned with his wife and daughter to California to establish their own studios in the Mendocino redwoods where his Carrera marble masterworks glisten against deep shadows while he cross-examines his complex creative process.
- Part 1 A Portrait of The Artist: John Fisher
This feature-length al fresco conversational interview examines the creative life and working methods of California's unique - Part 2 Keep It and Sell It Again 739 views 3 years ago
Second of nine parts - how one work of art can stake a claim to a career and how moving to Italy can spark a passion for stone. - Part 3 Factory Studio 429 views 3 years ago
Third of nine parts - The fertile artistic climate of Carrara: learning to carve marble at its source. This feature-length al fresco ... - Part 4 Studio al Fresco 419 views 3 years ago
Fourth of nine parts - Moving to the redwoods: a one-man come-along stone-working studio ... outdoors. This feature-length al ... - Part 5 Geology for Starving Artists 336 views 3 years ago
Fifth of nine parts - Stone is not rock: carving calcium and making magic in marble. This feature-length al fresco interview ... - Part 6 Stiff Clay
Sixth of nine parts - Move that leg: archangel in the mountain and other mid-course corrections. This feature-length al fresco ... - Part 7 Carving Lines in Clouds
Seventh of nine parts - Subconscious seeing: Finding the shape of the subject in etherial moments. This feature-length al fresco . - Part 8 Carving Profiles in Stone
Eighth of nine parts -- Working without goggles and drawing lines in stone -- without going blind. A feature-length al fresco ... - Part 9 A Flame Of Life
Last of nine parts -- Specific seeing: embracing the abstract to breathe life into chaos. A feature-length al fresco interview ... - These two videos were filmed at the Indiana Limestone Symposium where I was teaching. The hand is better as I am not chasing my block. I prefer working on stones too heavy to move on me. Remember to stay behind your chisel. Also notice how much stone I am moving. This is direct, flexible profile carving.
John shows how to carve a face from limestone:
John shows how to carve a hand from limestone - Sharon Fullingim Studios
Award winning New Mexico artist Sharon Fullingim sculpts with a focus on North American wildlife, with her favorite subjects being birds. Her primary medium is bronze, but she has built a loving relationship with limestone, and now combines the two in her compositions. Her love for limestone began after participating in the Indiana Limestone Symposium. She began as a student in 2000, and became its director in 2012.