Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Fischer.
Hi Rachael, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up with a love of nature and the outdoors, in an area filled with mountains, creeks, forests, and some amazing views. Family and friends would always venture out with me hiking, bicycling, swimming, rock climbing, and exploring. When I wasn’t outside, I was drawing and doodling on anything and everything. With a lot of encouragement from my parents, my pencils and crayons led to experiments with watercolors, oils, pastels, and acrylics. Impressionist paintings have always had a way of drawing me in.
The color nuance, illusion of detail and light, the way a painting of a seemingly ordinary subject could convey a particular mood or evoke an emotional response were so intriguing to me. I wanted to learn everything about it. I never thought I could make a living with my artistic hobbies or passions – it can be intimidating looking back at the surreal beauty of the paintings by my favorite artists, knowing some never knew success in their lifetime – and I really lacked the confidence.
However, I also had an interest in business, so I got my BS in marketing at UT Chattanooga and worked mostly in sales, retail, or marketing jobs after graduating. Besides grade school art classes, not many of which were very memorable, and the occasional figure drawing class or paint and sip gathering, I never took any formal courses in drawing or painting. Work and life events would get in the way at times, and I’d go long periods of time without creating much.
In 2015, inspired by the impressionist painters I loved so much growing up, I decided to take my paints and easel outside. I absolutely fell in love.
Being outside surrounded by nature with all its calm and chaos while creating art was both therapeutic and thrilling at the same time! I read and re-read all the books and articles about Plein air painting that I could get my hands on and started following other artists on social media with similar interests. I wanted to know it all (I’ll forever be learning), and I wanted to practice – all the time. Almost daily, I ventured outside with what supplies I could carry and painted on location.
At the time, acrylics were the easiest medium, as they helped me get ideas on canvas quickly with their fast dry times, finished work was easy to transport, and I needed to carry less overall. I still enjoy working with oil and watercolor on occasion, but acrylic became my favorite medium to work with. I moved back and forth between South Carolina and Tennessee over the last several years. I finally decided to put my degree in marketing to work with my passions for both painting and nature.
I’m back in Charleston for good now, where I’m closer to family and I get to explore the historic architecture, beaches, marshes, and other scenic landscapes. There’s nowhere else quite like the low country! It has been a lot of hard work setting up my small business to sell my art, and I’m so excited to see what comes next.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was not a smooth road. As everybody does, I hit a few speedbumps and some outright roadblocks along the way. I was diagnosed with autoimmune arthritis in my late 20s, which greatly limited my physical abilities. Most notably, walking long distances to paint on location became impossible at times. I lost the ability to move some of my joints for long periods – ankles, hips, shoulders, wrists, and even digits. A lot of physical therapy and some medications thankfully got me through each time, although it’s an ongoing and lifelong battle.
Then fast forward a few years, some routine bloodwork, and a trip to the ER later… I received a new diagnosis. Type 1 Diabetes – is another chronic autoimmune disease, which left my body unable to produce insulin. I learned that I would be dependent on insulin for the rest of my life – there is no cure. Left untreated, I could go blind, lose limbs, slip into a coma, or worse. I felt like my life was over. I was now limited even further physically, and I was emotionally isolated. I had never even met another person with Type 1 Diabetes, as only a little over 5% of diabetics are this type, most of whom have it from early childhood.
Any future dreams of success and happiness were quickly replaced by nightmares about not being able to afford the specialists, therapy, medical equipment, insulin, and other medications which I now required to live. There’s a lot of technology out there that helps Type 1 Diabetics live relatively “normal” lives, but insurance companies don’t always want to cover these things. The painting was my self-care and therapy through this transition. It taught me patience, and determination, and gave me confidence. Being insulin-dependent doesn’t get any easier, but you get more used to it as time goes by.
Maintaining blood glucose levels is mentally taxing. There are no days off. Slowly, and with a great support system from family and doctors, I was able to get the disease under control. I was determined to be healthy enough to carry myself and my easel outdoors again. Being immersed in the landscapes and communicating my vision of the world’s beauty on canvas gave me hope, a purpose, and peace. Painting is my meditation, and it sets my mind free. I want to inspire others to get out and enjoy life outdoors! My goal is always for my artwork to make people feel as joyful, excited, peaceful, calm, and hopeful as I do while I’m creating it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work begins outside in nature. I explore the local area and talk to people. I strive to make a real connection with the landscape and communicate it through my paintings. I challenge myself each day to capture a special moment, place, or mood. Art has a way of bringing people together and being a constant, unmoving place where hope and positivity can exist, without influence from harsh realities of the outside world. I paint because I want to be the light at the end of the tunnel for others if I can.
When someone looks at my work, I want it to make them smile and remember that life can be beautiful. On my website, you can see there’s an abundance of paintings inspired by downtown Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Sullivan’s Island, and elsewhere to choose from. When I first started the adventure of selling my work, I did mostly commissioned paintings. I’ve catered to people who want to bring the beauty of a favorite local spot home with them, those who want a small, feel-good, low country memento, and to those who just want a big beach-themed painting that matches their new living room.
My usual subjects include sand dunes, waves, wetlands, and palm trees, but I’ve also done many dog portraits for clients. After all, dogs are a part of the family around here! I’m always open to new ideas for commissions and willing to collaborate with my clients to give them something unique that will bring joy to their life!
Contact Info:
- Website: rhfischerfineart.com
- Instagram: @rachaelfischer
