Jennifer Fisher’s stitch paintings capture a distinctive art form, showcasing intricate craftsmanship and expressive beauty. Fisher describes stitch painting as combining the tactile nature of fabric with the precision of painting, where each thread is like a brushstroke, creating depth, texture and movement through layers of carefully chosen stitches.
Jake Durham: When did you first become interested in art?
Jennifer Fisher: I have always had a passion for art. I remember it was, I think, when I was 4 years old, my mom asked me, “What do you want to do?” or, you know, “Do you know what you want to be when you grow up?” and “an artist” was my answer. I’ve always had a passion for crafting, making, creating and that sort of thing. And to be able to make a living from fine art — it’s few and far between [who] could make a living on that. So, they guided me toward graphic design, which was more of an avenue.
JD: What is unique about your style of art?
JF: We were on a 16-hour car ride. I’m sitting there thinking, “Gosh! What I could accomplish in 16 hours of sitting. I could be doing something productive.” I have always had a passion for and collected fabric. On that road trip, it hit me: “I wonder, if I took a bag of fabric, if I could stitch a painting.” So, that’s what I did. I just put a bunch of different pieces of my fabric collection into this bag and decided to see if I could stitch a painting on that trip.
On the way there, I stitched and stitched, took a picture of this piece I had created, and sent it to my mom. She flipped out. I thought, “Well, maybe I have something here.” I became obsessed with these “stitched paintings,” and that’s what I call them now, stitch paintings. There is no paint.
JD: What inspires you?
JF: I’m inspired by light. I’m inspired by shadows and reflections. I’m inspired by nature, obviously, flowers, places I want to be, or go. You know, places that are in my mind. There’s always a story or emotion behind each piece, even if it’s subtle.
JD: Do you sketch your ideas first?
JF: Normally, no. There are some pieces that I’ve done, like I did a valve for Kimray in OKC, and I had to sketch that; it had to be a very precise image. Then I did a little blue cottage surrounded by tulips. The structure of that house was so precise that I had to sketch it first as well.
Whether she’s creating a landscape inspired by a place she longs to visit or building texture into a familiar flower from her backyard, each piece becomes a personal moment stitched into permanence. “The process is slow and meditative,” Fisher said. “It’s not something you rush. Every stitch is intentional.” She often works with her fabrics laid out in a burst of color and texture, letting the materials speak to her.
But even in structured pieces, there’s room for intuition. “Sometimes the fabric dictates the direction. You place one piece and suddenly the whole image changes,” she said. That spontaneity gives her work a living, breathing quality.
As her work gains recognition, Fisher remains focused on keeping it authentic. “I want people to feel something,” she said. “Whether it reminds them of their grandmother’s quilting or pulls them into a place they’ve never been but can almost touch — I want that emotional connection.”
Faith also plays a central role in Fisher’s creative process. “I pray every time I start a new piece,” she said. “It’s important that I’m not just making something pretty, but creating with purpose.”
That quiet spiritual connection is something she carries through every thread, letting intuition, trust and gratitude guide the needle as much as her hand.
