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an ARTIST S
perception

by Natalie Guess

s one of Naples most collected artists, my journey with then and the present and divulged how important our community
Phil Fisher was 45 years of being an artist living with was to him. Phil was a “people person” and thrived on spending
A an artist. In our business, he was the one who painted time with friends and those soon to become friends as he warmly
and filled the walls with his amazing watercolors and oils that greeted those who ventured through our door. As a genuine soul,
reflected the happiness he felt, while I created Batik paintings, he was kind and compassionate to all living beings and truly loved
clay work and ran our gallery. Our children grew up surrounded his fellow man. Even in his artful approach to the world of social
by art and the artist life. We did get to travel and when we did, media, his Instagram followers meant the world to him as he spent
he would sketch and paint scenes from wherever we went. Phil’s hours with you, reading your posts and thoughtfully answering you,
favorite place to paint was on location early in the morning and as well as enjoying sharing his thoughts and painting techniques.
he loved the camaraderie of painting with other artists. In fact, He lived to paint, as he felt all artists should! He said he would
a group of artists, “The Slingers” would paint together en plein never retire and hoped to die with a brush in his hand, standing in
air, for a number of years, but he was glad to have a studio space front of his canvas! “When I die, I don’t want a funeral or anything
in our gallery to finish pieces or when the weather was inclement. like that! I want a party with a live band and everybody dancing and
Phil could paint and talk at the same time, which was quite smiling and having a good time! No one should be sad for me as I
entertaining. Being a storyteller as well as a talented artist, he got to live the best life, painting every day, which was all I wanted
loved to tell of the times he lived here, in Naples, back in the to do!” He has left a major gap in our community and my life, and
early 70’s, working many different jobs, such as at Jungle Larry’s, will be missed. The party celebrating the life of Phil Fisher will be
construction or driving a taxi, while doing his art to get by. Some early evening on February 7, 2026 at the Guess-Fisher Gallery,
tales he would tell seemed to bridge the gap between times back 985 Central Avenue, Naples.
Come in and find your new, inspiring painting to take home
and excite your life!

Guess-Fisher Gallery, 985 Central Ave. 239-403-8393 www.PhilFisherFineArt.com www.Guess-FisherGallery.com

36 www.LifeInNaples.net