kirsten fischler

Kirsten grew up in West Chester, PA and began attending the Chester County Art Association at age of five. Her earliest influence was that from the work of John La Farge, and Louis Comfort Tiffany who both created the magnificent painted glass windows of the Church of the Holy Trinity, where her father was rector for 26 years. She and her family traveled to Europe for the first time when she was 12 and she fell in love with the work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Egon Schiele , Gustov Klimt, Francis Bacon and many others.

Living down the road from the Wyeth estate and Brandywine River Museum allowed Kirsten to study the work of NC Wyeth, which influenced her decision to study illustration at Rhode Island School of Design. She was one of twenty-five students to train in Rome, for a year, as part of the European Honors Program. Kirsten then went on to earn a MFA in painting from Pratt Institute and it was there she was chosen to participate in the professional “Critic’s Symposium”. While working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to put herself through graduate school, she discovered the masterpieces of Chinese landscape artists Yuanji, Kwo Zsi, and the “Eight Eccentrics of Hang Chow”. Kirsten has always been intrigued by the difference between eastern and western aesthetics and iconography.

Kirsten is currently teach in the Continuing Education Departments at both Delaware College of Art and Design and Moore College of Art and Design and she just recently moved into center city, Philadelphia where I have my studio.

Creative drive:
“Nature. I spend a lot of time alone meditating while hiking …

We are a part of nature and in order to understand ourselves, we must learn from our environment, our place and purpose. Nature is abstract, representational, brilliant, muted, sharp, soft, dizzying, calming, ever-evolving … Creation drives creation.”

Key emotion represented in work:
" … all the emotions with full intensity presented by my brain chemistry at any given moment. Many of the paintings take several months to paint, so during the course of creating a painting, I could feel several emotions depending on what stage of the process I am in. Which leads to the next question … "

"I use recycled building materials. I cut all the pieces using a hand saw with no power other than my emotions and inner strength. There exists a certain power that comes from physical exertion in the art making process … release of aggression, too much coffee, excitement, and anger that does not occur when using electric powered tools.

I am not a craftsman; I am an artist. The uneven spaces and rough edges of the sections of my artwork are part of my underlying anti-authoritarian personality paired with the refinement of training, careful observation, patience. I enjoy intellectual puzzles and my work is laced with layers, of patterns, materials, alternative processes’ … bubble wrap, combs, sponges, wire, shoe prints, tooth brush spatter … all of which have left a mark in my work. I then apply layers and layers of glaze to build the color, chiaroscuro, and delicacy. I have no idea what my work will look like when I begin a painting, which is part of the puzzle making process."

Personal relationship with your work:
"I create all my work for myself. The process of making art IS an intellectual puzzle. Even the pieces that appear to be straight-forward representations, contain a step or a learning process that is stored for a later painting or life lesson. Art making is a form of meditation that includes expression, self-realization … an evolution towards “oneness.”

Thoughts on sharing art:
“Its great to be moved from time to time in an unexpected, out of ones circle, sort of way. Everyone experiences the world in very different ways, this allows people to see, feel and experience the minds and emotions of others."





"I enjoy intellectual puzzles and my work is laced with layers, of patterns, materials, alternative processes." -Kirsten Fischler		Kirsten Fischler View Kirsten's Work Kirsten grew up in West Chester, PA and began attending the Chester County Art Association at age of five. Her earliest influence was that from the work of John La Farge, and Louis Comfort Tiffany who both created the magnificent painted glass windows of the Church of the Holy Trinity, where her father was rector for 26 years. She and her family traveled to Europe for the first time when she was 12 and she fell in love with the work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Egon Schiele , Gustov Klimt, Francis Bacon and many others. Living down the road from the Wyeth estate and Brandywine River Museum allowed Kirsten to study the work of NC Wyeth, which influenced her decision to study illustration at Rhode Island School of Design. She was one of twenty-five students to train in Rome, for a year, as part of the European Honors Program. Kirsten then went on to earn a MFA in painting from Pratt Institute and it was there she was chosen to participate in the professional “Critic’s Symposium”. While working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to put herself through graduate school, she discovered the masterpieces of Chinese landscape artists Yuanji, Kwo Zsi, and the “Eight Eccentrics of Hang Chow”. Kirsten has always been intrigued by the difference between eastern and western aesthetics and iconography. Kirsten is currently teach in the Continuing Education Departments at both Delaware College of Art and Design and Moore College of Art and Design and she just recently moved into center city, Philadelphia where I have my studio. Creative drive: “Nature. I spend a lot of time alone meditating while hiking … We are a part of nature and in order to understand ourselves, we must learn from our environment, our place and purpose. Nature is abstract, representational, brilliant, muted, sharp, soft, dizzying, calming, ever-evolving … Creation drives creation.” Key emotion represented in work: " … all the emotions with full intensity presented by my brain chemistry at any given moment. Many of the paintings take several months to paint, so during the course of creating a painting, I could feel several emotions depending on what stage of the process I am in. Which leads to the next question … " What is unique about your process: "I use recycled building materials. I cut all the pieces using a hand saw with no power other than my emotions and inner strength. There exists a certain power that comes from physical exertion in the art making process … release of aggression, too much coffee, excitement, and anger that does not occur when using electric powered tools. I am not a craftsman; I am an artist. The uneven spaces and rough edges of the sections of my artwork are part of my underlying anti-authoritarian personality paired with the refinement of training, careful observation, patience. I enjoy intellectual puzzles and my work is laced with layers, of patterns, materials, alternative processes’ … bubble wrap, combs, sponges, wire, shoe prints, tooth brush spatter … all of which have left a mark in my work. I then apply layers and layers of glaze to build the color, chiaroscuro, and delicacy. I have no idea what my work will look like when I begin a painting, which is part of the puzzle making process." Personal relationship with your work: "I create all my work for myself. The process of making art IS an intellectual puzzle. Even the pieces that appear to be straight-forward representations, contain a step or a learning process that is stored for a later painting or life lesson. Art making is a form of meditation that includes expression, self-realization … an evolution towards “oneness.” Thoughts on sharing art: “Its great to be moved from time to time in an unexpected, out of ones circle, sort of way. Everyone experiences the world in very different ways, this allows people to see, feel and experience the minds and emotions of others." Back to Meet the Artists

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