Mystery of the Great Outdoors
Montana landscape painter Nic Fischer is captivated by wild places, and that fascination pours into his unabashedly adoring oil paintings of the greater Yellowstone region. His work spans every season like a time-lapse of what he calls “the incomprehensible nature of the outdoors.”
“There’s an inherent mystery outside,” Fischer says. “In the forest, there’s no way of knowing what sits just out of sight. And at any grand view—mountain, desert or ocean—the vastness contains endless adventure: some real, some imagined, past or future, all at a glance.”
He paints to explore, to tell the story of how he arrived at a place, or to imagine one he’d like to know better. Oil paint, he says, suits his temperament. “Only oils have the elasticity for spontaneity and the opacity to be absolute,” he explains. “They fit my indecisive and spontaneous inclination toward creating art.”
Before the birth of his two daughters (now 8 and 5 years old), Fischer’s paintings often began with an extended backpacking trip. His most memorable piece came from a monthlong Artist in Residence program at Glacier National Park, painting from the summit of Edwards Mountain.
“I visited the summit several times. Between hikes, I used Google Earth, photos and sketches to arrange the terrain for the final composition,” recalls the artist. “The entire process—from stepping foot on the mountain to completing the painting—took about two years.”
These days, his process is more compact. He’ll make no more than three field visits, complete plein air studies, and build the final composition from reference. “The new paintings look more like you’re standing on a mountain top, and less like you’re floating in a hot air balloon,” he says. “Either view is exhilarating.” —Doreen Manning
contact informationnicwfischer.com
upcoming showSedona Plein Air Festival, October 20-26, Sedona, AZ.
This story appeared in the October/November 2025 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Subscribe today to read every issue in its entirety.
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