We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelcey Fisher and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelcey, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I honestly wasn’t pursuing a career at all and was kind of lost when I really started painting. It was more of an escape for me from the limelight of the sports life I had been living. I left my lacrosse scholarship in Maryland Sophomore year and knew I wanted to get back to California but the only reason I ended up in LA was because the coach at LMU said he could get me in with my horrible gpa to help out the club lacrosse program. I changed my major from business to graphic design because I was told that was the only way to make money as a creative. I started putting my designs on canvas and my roommates allowed me to use our little one car garage as a studio. I’ll never forget the day Junior year when my roommate’s Mom came to visit and told me she was an art collector. The next day she told me she would like to commission two paintings. I responded with,”What’s a commission?” Haha. That moment lit a spark in me. I started throwing my own “shows” at skate shops, bars, clubs, anywhere that would have me really. By the time senior year came around I was doing shows on abbot Kinney, murals in Venice Beach, Steve Aioki and Common both had one of my paintings. I was painting every day and things were really starting to take off. I remember a few of my professors calling me in for a meeting and I thought I was going to have to take that semester over because of all my absences. To my surprise, they encouraged me to keep doing what I was doing and assured me that the absences wouldn’t be an issue as long as I kept them updated on my projects and invited all my peers to my shows. That meeting made me realise that people I respected were starting to take my art seriously and what I was originally using as an escape had the potential to become a career.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
If you talk to anyone who has worked with me they’ll tell you I’m one of the hardest working artist in the business. I can’t go three days without painting or I start getting uncomfortable. I also push myself to try out new techniques and styles through different mediums and schools of art. I call them pivots. I never want to be an artist that is defined by one style or get stuck in one lane even if the money is there. I also pride myself on my relationships in and out of work. What you get from relationships is what you put into them. I treat my art that way and treat the people that make my career possible with the same admiration.

The hardest challenge I’ve faced has been facing myself and I’m just now starting to tell that story through my new series starting with a piece titled La Flame Blanca. The painting depicts the El Camino I totalled on the PCH back in the Venice days. A big part of my problem was trying to show everyone that I didn’t care and everything was okay when in fact I cared deeply about my art and everything was not okay. I was broke most of the time and I had no idea who I was or what I was doing even though it didn’t appear that way. That whole fake it until you make it thing was literally killing me. I wouldn’t be her today without the people listed in my previous response.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well we would definitely need to get a beach day in or five. Venice Beach preferably south of the pier fallowed by some Guisados tacos. El Matador in Malibu fallowed by Neptunes Net for some seafood (My Birthday spot if I’m in town). Playa del Rey fallowed by a burger at The Shack. A hike in the Palisades. Not about selfies at Runyon Canyon. Melrose trading post or the Rose Bowl. Love my old ish. Art in LA I’d say either The Broad, The Hammer or we would just scratch that and go to one of my friend’s shows. I miss the Met. Gotta see a show at the Hollywood Bowl. Father John Misty was my favorite show there. Movie at Cinespia or The Alamo Drafthouse. I don’t know. The rest would be spontaneous. I’m not really about that plans life.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It really took a small army of individuals to get me where I’m at today. I’m blessed to have a supportive family, an amazing partner, and a great manager who is a dear friend. My art teachers over the years that encouraged me, especially my High School art teacher who recently came to my May Flowers show. You gem of a human. My Mom, my LA Mom and my friends in the art world. You’ve all filled more roles than one in my life and I love you for it.

Website: https://www.kfishart.com

Instagram: @kfishla

Image Credits
Luce on Kettner: Photographer Kevin Rousso @kevinrousso
Subway: Andreas Versos @mrnycsubway
LFB: Zach Bell @zachbell1212

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