Brian Fisher Print, Paint and Sculpture Blog

The Deeds of Jason   Rust Print  (9 1/4 x 27 3/4 in.) In many a song my past deeds have been sung, And these my hands that guided Argo through The blue Symplegades, still deeds may do. For now the world has swerved from truth and right, Cumbered with monsters, empty of delight, And “midst all this what honor I may win, That she may know of and rejoice therein, And come to seek me, and upon my throne May find me sitting, worshipped, and alone. From "The Life and Death of Jason" by William Morris My Rust Print The Deeds of Jason was made by rusting cut steel plates to muslin. 

Achilles by Carol Ann Duffy Myth’s river – where his mother dipped him, fished him, a slippery golden boy flowed on, his name on its lips. Without him, it was prophesied, they would not take Troy. Women hid him, concealed him in girls’ sarongs; days of sweetmeats, spices, silver songs … But when Odysseus came, with an athlete’s build, a sword and a shield, he followed him to the battlefield, the crowd’s roar, And it was sport, not war, his charmed foot on the ball … But then his heel, his heel, his heel … Carol Ann Duffy, Britain’s Poet Laureate 2009, composed this poem on the occasion of  footballer David Beckham’s injury to his Achilles tendon. Achilles Heel is my Monotype Print (30 x 15 1/4 in.) created for exhibition in my studio during the 2012 Vashon Island Art Studio tour.

Jason and Chiron    (22 x 29.5 in.) When Jason, the son of the dethroned King of Iolcus, was a little boy, he was sent away from his parents, and placed under the queerest schoolmaster that ever you heard of. This learned person was one of the people, or quadrupeds, called Centaurs. He lived in a cavern, and had the body and legs of a white horse, with the head and shoulders of a man. His name was Chiron; and, in spite of his odd appearance, he was a very excellent teacher, and had several scholars, who afterwards did him credit by making a great figure in the world. So Jason dwelt in the cave, with this four-footed Chiron, from the time that he was an infant, only a few months old, until he had grown to the full height of a man. He became a very good harper, I suppose, and skillful in the use of weapons, and tolerably acquainted with herbs and other doctor's stuff, and, above all, an admirable horseman; for, in teaching young people to ride, the good

While priming "Oceanus", my cut steel garden art this afternoon, I was excited by the white on almost white background and took this photo. In Greek myth Oceanus was the personification of the world-ocean and the Titan son of Uranus and Gaia.  My version of the world ocean is a perfect square! You can see and purchase “Oceanus” during the Spring 2012 Vashon Studio Tour , the first two weekends in May, 5-6, 12-13.

The mythic Phoenix is a wonderful symbol of self renewal. There is ever only one Phoenix.  It leads a singular existence.  After living a long life, five hundred years, sustaining itself by eating frankincense and fragrant gums, it builds a funeral pyre  and self incinerates. The story of the Phoenix, it's long life, death in cleansing fire and rebirth from the ashes, appears in many cultures. Perhaps because it affirms a circular story of the individual soul’s regeneration. At left is my Rust Print “Phoenix” to be exhibited during the upcoming Vashon Studio Tour.   It is 30 x 20 in. and mounted to wood panel. “Let me not wander in a barren dream, But when I am consumed in the fire, Give me new Phoenix wings to fly at my desire.” John Keats

A ll afternoon I have been working outside on my Threshold Guardians, (garden stakes and garden art personifying adventure, edges and boundaries), preparing them for primer and paint in colors that compliment the Northwest garden pallet and also reflect the colors I find particularly appealing when I print.  As the sun was setting and after I had wrapped everything, I was amazed to see the silhouettes that began to appear through the plastic bags that had been slipped over everything to protect the cut steel art from rain and our seasonal Alder pollen.   Of course I went looking for my camera! I found the photos wonderfully mysterious. You can see all of my cut steel Threshold Guardians during the Vashon Island Spring Studio Tour, the first two weekends of May.  http://vashonislandartstudiotour.com/Spring2012/

My Rust Print “Jason” is intended  to represent a hero’s  journey.  Specifically it is meant to encapsulate the story of the Argonautika, the Quest for the Golden Fleece and introduce a series of prints made from rust whose subject is Journey. Not long after Jason’s birth the throne of his father Aeson, benevolent king of Iolcus, (Thessaly Greece today), was usurped by Pelias his tyrannical half brother.  Pelias threatened to kill any who might challenge his claim to the kingdom, so Jason was hidden and the story of his untimely death told to deceive Pelias.   Jason , (12 x 12 x 1.5 in.), is made by rusting a COR-TEN steel plate to muslin fabric, mounting that fabric to dimensional panel and then finishing it with acrylic and wax mediums.  Jason and four more Rust Prints from the Journey series will be exhibited in my studio, studio number 6, during the Spring 2012 Vashon Studio Tour.

I just finished this Monotype print called Coral Spring for the Vashon Island Spring Art Studio Tour .  As I was printing I kept looking out my studio window at the Coral Bark Maples that are still glowing though starting to loose their intense winter coral color.  I am thinking of making Ltd. edition digital reproductions from this image for sale in my studio during the tour.   Coral Spring is 12 x12 in.