GST BOCES Congratulates

J o h n A. F i s h e r

Courier for GST BOCES

Click on the picture of John to view video!

John A. Fisher is a courier for GST BOCES and is a familiar face throughout the region. His wit and propensity for playing practical jokes are well known, but what many people may not know about John, is that he is a very talented - and self-taught - artist. Paint is his medium, and he likes to use it on a variety of non-traditional surfaces - "everything except canvas!" John gathers his references from various sources. He then collages them together to create his own original painting. He uses the tools of the 21st century along the way, including photography and a projector to get his compositions just right. He does commissions for friends and acquaintances and has painted on shoes, motorcycles, automobiles, mailboxes and, as displayed on this page - feathers. John's avocation is further testimony to the ways the arts can enrich the lives even of people who do not necessarily list "Artist" as their primary occupation.

1) When did you begin drawing or painting? Do you have any childhood examples? Did you have any family members or community people who inspired you? Who?

John: I think I started drawing when I was about four or five years old. My mother and uncle inspired me the most. At my grandparents, my uncle had his art table, brushes, ink pens, etc. He was about 24 years old taking the "Famous Artist School's Course." He was, and is, very good. The arts in education help you to use your imagination. I liked experimenting with mixing colors and using a different side of my brain. I never took notes in class, but always drew instead. I might have had Attention Deficit Disorder. I loved drawing and learning about color and about the artists who became famous throughout history, but I hated oil painting. My favorite artists were Michelangelo, Leonardo DaVinci and Raphael. I didn't care too much for Cubism and Abstract Expressionism.

2) The arts is the reason many young people stay in school. Was that true for you?

John: I did not stay in school because of the arts. In days gone by your parents did not allow you to quit school. I liked art in school, but did not know how much it would be a part of me in 1983.

3) How did you do in school? You mentioned that you thought you might have had ADHD. Can you elaborate?

John: I graduated in 1967. Some classes were tougher than others and the tough ones were where the attention was elsewhere. In those years, you were a daydreamer, or someone who would always disrupt the class. Looking back and knowing how I am now, I would have done better with a visual knowledge (video) in class. I think? Not everyone can learn by listening or reading. Some need a lasting picture in their brain. If not, the old saying is still true. "In one ear and out the other." My class notes had more drawings than notes.

5) Why are the arts in education important?

John: The arts in education is important because they give you an insight on how and where everything started. It is always evolving.

6) What is your process?

John: My process changes with each project. Sometimes it takes longer to figure out "how" than to do the project.

7) What would happen if you were unable to make art? How would you fill the void?

John: I don't know. Art is in everything around you.

8) What kind of world would it be if there was no art?

John: The world would be very mundane. No thought. No color. I believe it started with the cave paintings of Lascaux.

While John may not be a teaching artist, his work surely serves as a testimony to the power and necessity of the arts in education in order to provide an enriching and, perhaps, life-altering, education for even the most reluctant students. John is an inspiration!