Rehoboth’s Gallery 50 to host shows by two gay artists Work of Gary Fisher, Jason Wright on display this summer

By PETER ROSENSTEIN

Two talented gay artists will showcase their work at Gallery 50 on Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth Beach. Gary Fisher’s show will open on Aug. 11 and Jason Wright’s will follow opening on Sept. 1.

Fisher is now a local, living in Rehoboth Beach, which is where he does most of his work. His studio has won a prestigious International Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design. He said, “I began painting over 40 years ago, taking a painting class on a whim, and quickly becoming passionate about my newly discovered talent and prolific with this ‘hobby.’ It created a whole separate life from my ‘day’ job as a trial attorney with the U.S. Justice Department.”

Since the 1990s, Fisher has been active in both the Rehoboth Beach and D.C. art communities. He has had shows at the Blue Moon, participated with a small group of artists in CAMP Rehoboth fundraising events, and has been active in the Rehoboth Art League. He has had local gallery representation since 2008.

Prior to moving his studio to Rehoboth in 2015, he shared space in D.C. on 14th Street, N.W., with several talented gay artists including Jason Wright, Glenn Fry, and Brian Petro. Their studio became a meeting and organizing spot for a fledgling group of Dupont and Logan Circle artists. They, along with the very talented Sondra Arkin, were founders and active members of the dynamic Mid-City Artists Group in D.C. Fisher told the Blade, “I currently paint with oil and my artwork ranges from the textural abstract landscape work that has been the focus of my major recent work, to brilliantly colored still life paintings and figurative paintings. My paintings reflect my highly individualized vision of the scenery or subject matter that surrounds me in my gardens and studio, as well as those that I experience in my adventurous travels with my husband and friends. Color dominates my canvases.” Some of Gary’s work can be seen at www.fishergallery.com.

Jason Wright in his own words is a ‘military brat’ who has lived in many places including, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, Utah, and Hawaii. He spent his teen years immersed in the D.C. skateboard and music scene with his late brother. Wright said after his brother was killed, he moved to Utah to become a sponsored skateboarder and snowboarder. He became well respected in the back country snowboarding community, and co-founded one of the oldest tattoo shops in Salt Lake City. He then moved to Kauai to chase waves, as he says, and came to terms with being gay. In 2008 he moved back to D.C. to become a graphic designer and met Gary Fisher, who became a mentor to him. His career took various turns and among other pursuits in 2022 went to Arizona to work as a sky diving instructor for the military. He says his current work is called “Ephemeral Memoirs.” He went on to say, “In my artistic practice, I explore the concept of memory and its transient nature through the series titled ‘Ephemeral Memoirs.’ Inspired by the fleeting moments that shape our lives, I aim to capture the essence of these ephemeral experiences and transform them into visual narratives. Memory is a delicate and elusive phenomenon, constantly evolving and subject to distortion. Through my work, I seek to preserve these fleeting memories, allowing them to transcend time and space.”

Wright is represented by galleries in New York, D.C., Rehoboth and Alexandria, Va. Some of his body of work can be seen at Jason Wright Creative.