Megan Fisher is a professional photographer by day and artist by night.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Grab a cup of coffee and a slice of inspiration to go.
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No, that’s not a marketing gimmick.
It’s simply what happens when patrons enter Stellar Coffee in Shepparton and experience Megan Fisher’s exhibition, Behind the Photos and Art, which is on the café’s walls until early September.
In her first solo exhibition, Ms Fisher has included an eclectic spread of paintings and photographs that draw viewers into the soulful eyes of animals and the rugged landscapes of New Zealand.
This marks new territory for the artist, too.
“I was nervous because, in the community, I’m perceived as a photographer for Shepp News — that’s all I am,” Ms Fisher said.
“I wanted people to see that there’s a different side to me as well, that I don’t just take photos, and that this is my past.”
Her “past” was by no means a polished pathway to success.
With home life akin to a loose rug shifting underfoot, Ms Fisher braced herself with a paintbrush as a child.
Controlling how she swirled and curved the bristles on canvas was her only source of solace — until the Shepparton Gators came into the picture.
“Growing up, I didn’t really get that traditional family experience as such,” she said.
“When I started coming to the Gators games back in 2023, it was healing in a sense seeing the smiles on kids’ faces ... it healed my inner child in a way.”
For years, Ms Fisher has prowled the sidelines, intensely gazing through the viewfinder to capture the Gators as their physicality amped up and their seismic dunks crashed down.
Fifteen of these photographs are also on display at Stellar, along with a QR code to access her three-part documentary, Underdog: The Shepparton Gators Story, co-directed by News journalist Jay Bryce.
Megan Fisher is well known for being on the sidelines at Shepparton Gators games.
On the opposite wall, a feathery-coated golden Labrador stands out.
When asked about the meaning of the pet portrait, Ms Fisher recalled vivid memories of her protective pooch waiting for her to come home from school.
“He’d be at the pool fence, and once he saw me, he would bolt to me and bowl me over nearly,” she said.
“I looked forward to that every day.”
Before photography, there was painting — specifically, pet portraits.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
For Ms Fisher, four walls and a roof were not home.
Instead, she found home in her beloved pet swooping into her arms, by satiating her restless creative energy, and among the cheering masses at the Swamp.
The rest, she said, is up to viewers to interpret.
“I think that’s the beauty of art itself — I can tell you what it means to me, but it’s going to always mean something different to someone else, and I love that,” Ms Fisher said.
“Sure, I have my own connection to it, but I think the whole purpose of this (exhibition) is so other people can connect and share with each other as they sit down and have a coffee.
“If people come in and feel comfortable (to do that), then I’ve done my job.”
Megan Fisher’s solo exhibition, Behind the Photos and Art, is on display until early September at Stellar Coffee, 278 Wyndham St, Shepparton.
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