I've always enjoyed painting still life and have a particular fondness for the European tradition of oil painting. I'm drawn to the shapes, colours and patterns of plates, fruit and other objects, and the different associations they bring to mind. I often find myself looking beyond the object itself, thinking about what it might represent or remind me of. Water has also been a longstanding interest of mine. I love its reflections, movement and transparency, and the way it can suggest different moods and emotions. There's something quite captivating about it.

Water also features in my paintings of nudes and bathers, which sit alongside the still life works in this exhibition. In some paintings, I've incorporated waterscapes into the plates themselves, allowing these interests to overlap. I enjoy the possibilities of working with these subjects and the different ways they can be interpreted. My approach is rooted in realism, although I like to retain a loose, painterly quality in the finished work. Ultimately, I paint the things that interest me and enjoy exploring the different meanings and associations they might hold.

- Katie Fischer