Welcome back to ARTMATTERS: The Podcast for Artists.

Happy New Year! I’m thrilled to kick off 2025 with a milestone celebration of our 50th episode. I am also extremely excited to say this special episode features a great conversation with the iconic artist Eric Fischl.

Eric Fischl is an internationally acclaimed American artist known for his profound influence on figurative art. Born in 1948 in New York City, Fischl’s work captures the uneasy undercurrents of American life. His journey through art education took him from Phoenix to California, where he earned his B.F.A., and later to Chicago and Nova Scotia for teaching and early exhibitions. Fischl's art, which explores the dichotomy between appearance and reality, has graced over a thousand publications and is housed in prestigious collections worldwide, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Musée Beaubourg. Beyond painting, Fischl has ventured into sculpture, drawing, and printmaking and collaborated with literary luminaries like E.L. Doctorow and Jamaica Kincaid. He also founded "America: Now and Here," a multidisciplinary project fostering dialogue about American identity. A Fellow of both the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Fischl resides in Sag Harbor, NY, with his wife, painter April Gornik.

In the first part of my two-part series with this legendary artist, we explore a fascinating range of topics. From Fischl's studio soundtrack—moving from youthful anthems to reflections on mortality—to the intricate dance between photography and painting, he shares how fleeting moments captured in photographs evolve into compelling works on canvas. The discussion touches on the challenges of maintaining creativity, the impact of early success, and the role of failure in art-making. We also delve into the shifting art market, from regionalism to global recognition, and Eric’s advocacy for a return to regional significance, where artists can find universal meaning through local context.

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If you have an any questions you want answered, write in to [email protected]

host: Isaac Mann
www.isaacmann.com
insta: @isaac.mann

guest: Eric Fischl
www.ericfischl.com
insta: @fischlstudio 

Thank you as always to ARRN, the Detroit-based artist and instrumentalist, for the music.