Louise
Fischman
Studio
About The Artist
Louise Fischman was born and raised in the New York area. She considers herself fortunate to have had ready access to the city’s many cultural resources and diverse communities. She earned her BFA degree from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and later, her Teacher Certification from the University of Utah.
Her relationship to the American West began when she was still a college student. She participated in a summer anthropological project with the Kaibab-Paiute Tribe in Arizona. The clear, stark, and colorfully eroded landscape had a profound impact on her. Soon after she found herself living in a very different but equally beautiful western landscape- the Chama Valley in northern New Mexico. Here she began to teach art to local children. These projects included large scale murals of the area’s history, cultures, and natural beauty.
Eventually, with her artist husband, Wayne Geary, she chose to relocate to Salt Lake City, Utah. After teaching as an artist in residence in schools throughout Utah, Louise had the opportunity to develop a therapeutic art program at Primary Children’s Hospital. For 30 years Louise has guided and supported many young patients through their creative art processes, an integral part of their healing processes.
All the while Louise has actively pursued her own artwork. She has worked in a variety of mediums including drawing, painting in acrylic, oil and watercolor, glass mosaic and ceramic tile installations. She and Wayne have collaborated on numerous community art projects in public settings including schools, parks, and healthcare facilities.
She is currently working on a series of semi abstract landscape paintings in her studio. As time allows, Louise loves to do plein air drawing and painting while exploring wild places both near and far from home.
CV
Education
1985-87
University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Art education teaching certificate.
1978-81
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, Bachelor of Fine Arts
1976-78
University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire
1975
Sarah Lawrence College, Foreign Study in Art, Lacoste, France
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Internships
1981-82
Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Exhibit fabrication
1979-80
American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York
Graphic Design
1975-76
Metropolitan Museum of Art; The Cloisters, New York, New York
Art Education
Exhibits
2012 – 2022
Escalante Canyons Plein Air Exhibits, Escalante, Utah
2011
Art Access “300 Plate Show”, Salt Lake City, Utah
1997
Utah Art Festival, Invited Artist, Salt Lake City, Utah
Vital Arts gallery, “Artists in the Copy Center”, Salt Lake City, Utah
1996
Finch Lane Gallery, “Winter Works”. Salt Lake City, Utah
Art Access Gallery, “With Kids in Mind”, Salt Lake City, Utah
1994
Springville Museum of Art, “Spring Salon”, Springville, Utah
1993
Salt Lake Art Center, “Ten Plus Ten”, Salt Lake City, Utah
1992
Utah Museum of Fine Arts, “Utah 92, Painting and Sculpture”, Salt Lake City, Utah
1990
Finch Lane Gallery, two person show, Salt Lake City, Utah
1989
Atrium Gallery, one person show, Salt Lake City, Utah
1986
Utah Arts Festival, “2020 Vision”, Salt Lake City, Utah
1985
Braithwaite Gallery, “Celebration 45”, Cedar City, Utah
1984
Facet Gallery, “Watermedia USA”, Taos, New Mexico
1981
Pratt Manhattan Gallery, Group show, New York, New York
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Selected Site Specific Commissions
2014
Primary Children’s Behavioral Health Campus, Murray, Utah ,exterior ceramic tile mural
2013
Mosaic floor for private residence, porcelain tile and glass mosaic.
2012
The Road Home- Homeless Shelter, exterior ceramic tile mural
2010
Cathedral of the Madeleine, Glass mosaic holy water font.
2006
Wasatch Elementary School, sculpted concrete, and ceramic tile bench.
2005
Primary Children’s Hospital, Oncology Dept. glass mosaic and ceramic tile mural
Youth City, Salt Lake City Youth Programming Center, ceramic tile mural
2004
Primary Children’s Hospital, Neuro Trauma Unit, ceramic tile mural
Primary Children’s Hospital, ceramic tile mural
2002
American Fork Hospital Healing Garden, glass mosaic pavers, ceramic, and glass mosaic mural.
2001-02
Jordan River Public Art, sculpted concrete and tile mosaic bench and walkway, (with artists Wayne Geary, Paul Heath and Linda Nowlin.)
2001
Primary Children’s Hospital Healing Garden, exterior glass mosaic paver.
Riley Elementary School, Interior ceramic tile mural collaboration with students and faculty.
1999
Wasatch Elementary School, glass mosaic exterior mural
And collaboration with students.
1988
Greek Streak Restaurant, painted mural, Price, Utah.
1986
Utah Arts Festival, Painted mural design for Children’s Art Yard.
1983
Joseph P. Montoya Community Swimming Pool, exterior painted mural, Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico
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Grants and Honors
2016-19
Artist in the Classroom Grant, “Artsmart” Program for at risk youth, Franklin and Meadowlark Elementary Schools, Salt Lake City.
1997
Individual Artist Grant, Utah Arts Council, for research in the field of glass mosaics.
1992-3
Primary Children’s Hospital Foundation, for design and development of Therapeutic art program for patients.
1984
Grant recipient, New Mexico Art Division, “Brooks Willis WPA Mural Restoration Project” with the Conservation Lab at the Wheelright Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico
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Teaching Experience
1993-present
Primary Children’s Hospital, Behavioral Health Department Treatment Programs, Therapeutic Art Educator, Murray, Utah
2000-2001
Community Nursing Services, Art Mentoring for pediatric Hospice patients, Park City, Utah
1986-94
Utah Arts Council Artist in Education Program, Artist Residencies at elementary and middle schools in rural areas throughout Utah.
1987-94
Art Access Utah, Instructor for wide variety of art workshops for children and adults, Salt Lake City, Utah
1985-86
Beacon Heights Elementary School, Teacher Aide, Salt Lake City, Utah
1982-85
Chama Valley Schools, Elementary and Middle School Art Instructor. Chama, New Mexico.