Grace Fisher

Grace Fisher is a wildly talented and accomplished painter and composer. She is also a quadriplegic. Grace’s courage and perseverance have not only created a pathway for her to live her life as an artist, but it has also led her to build an inclusive community for people with disabilities to engage in the arts.

 As a child, Grace loved playing piano, guitar, and cello and dreamed of pursuing a career in music. That is, until the fateful day of her 17th birthday party when her plans for her future came to a screeching halt. Grace was rushed to the hospital with extreme pain in her neck and by the end of the day had lost all ability to use her arms and legs. She spent the next 8 months in the hospital recovering from a rare polio-like illness and learning to live as a quadriplegic. Grace says “the toughest part was losing my ability to play music; I didn’t care if I could never walk again but it was really hard accepting that I probably would never be able to strum my guitar or play piano again.” 

In spite of the adversity she faced, Grace persisted. She tapped into her artistic passion and engaged in music therapy and adaptive art during her rehabilitation. She learned how to paint using a mouth stick, which not only strengthened her body, but she says it also strengthened her mind and soul. 

Realizing that she could paint using her mouth, Grace felt inspired to learn how to create music with a mouth stick as well. She began to re-learn piano, and eventually used the stick to compose music. Grace has been continuing to push convention in the art and music landscape ever since and has expanded what it means to create music by atypical means.

After reflecting on the significant impact art and music had on her mental health during recovery, Grace wanted to find a way to support others who have experienced barriers to engaging in the arts. She started the Grace Fisher Foundation to inspire children with disabilities to live out their dreams. The goal of the Foundation is to provide a safe space for self-discovery and creative expression for people with physical or cognitive disabilities through dance, art, and music. To really embrace this mission, Grace opened the Inclusive Arts Clubhouse. The Clubhouse, located in Santa Barbara California, is an accessible space where people of all abilities can build friendships and explore art and music free of charge. Many families attest to the power of expression that Grace’s workshops have provided their children.

In addition to supporting an entire community of artists with diverse abilities in finding their artistic passion, Grace has broken down barriers pursuing her own artistic dreams as well. She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where she earned a B.A. in music composition and composed multiple musical pieces using her mouth, which were performed live. Grace also became a renowned filmmaker, writing and producing the critically acclaimed short film, “A Critter Fable”, achieving Best Score and Most Inspirational in film festivals across the United States.

Tree of Light - Grace Fisher

Grace is an inspiration to us all. Through her strength and persistence, she has shown that we can overcome our obstacles and make our passions a reality with the right support. Grace also shows us that art is not one-dimensional. Art is not art because it was made from a paintbrush in your hand, rather the true essence of art comes from the heart. 

“It might look like the end of the world right now, but I promise it gets better. Each day will expose new light; you’ll find your hope, your passion, and your place in this new life. Have kindness in your heart and the strength to carry on.”

--Grace Fisher--

If you would like to hear Grace’s music or view her award winning film “Critter Fable”, please find it here.

More information about Grace’s Foundation can be found here.