Within the curves and shadows of Jill Fischman's "Lemon Zest," some people see spirituality. Others see eroticism.

Fischman, a New York transplant whose photography and design have been featured in magazines such as Harper's Bazaar and Glamour, thinks they're both right. "That's what I love about art. It's all personal," she said. "Each viewer gets from it what they individually feel and want to get from it."

"Lemon Zest" is one of six large floral portraits on display this month at Red River Theaters in an exhibit that marries stark realism with rich drama. "I've always been greatly inspired by Georgia O'Keefe and the seduction of her work," said Fischman, who lives in Warner with her German short-haired pointer, Spice. "My vision is to capture the individual characteristics each flower possesses while incorporating an element of surprise."

The portraits play up the parallels between botany and human anatomy, superimposing a bright yellow calla lily on the flank of a motorcycle driven by a leather-clad man in "Lemon Zest," and the form of a nude woman in the foreground of a salmon-colored rose in "La Vie En Rose."

"When you look at the work of Georgia O'Keefe, her florals were straightforward florals, but when you look at her work, you see the human form," Fischman said. "I wanted to introduce that human form . . . not to blast you in the face -- honestly, at first, some people don't even see the nude -- but to give a feeling that, yes, that belongs there."

It's a telling statement from an artist who has struggled for many years with her own sense of belonging. Fischman grew up just outside New York and spent her

childhood prowling museums with her mother, Harriet G. Fischman, an artist and gallery owner. After graduating from the School of Visual Arts, she landed a job at Harper's Bazaar, where she did page layouts and design work. She later got a job at Glamour, planning photo shoots and coming up with art concepts for stories.

After 20 years, with changes on the horizon at the magazine, Fischman took some time off to focus more on fine art. She invented her own artistic technique, covering vases with French watercolor paper. The pieces were sought by art collectors and sold for a while at the New York Crafts gift shop across from the Museum of Modern Art.

About the same time, though, Fischman fell in love with a college classmate she'd bumped into again while doing freelance work for Parents magazine. They decided to move together to New Hampshire, purchasing land on a lonely road in Wilmot and building their own home.

"It was a huge culture shock for me, coming from a lifestyle where I was surrounded by people," Fischman said. It didn't help that her boyfriend was a loner, while she craved parties and excitement. "I really felt that I became more and more withdrawn," she said.

A few years ago, Fischman ended the relationship and moved to Warner, where she's at least slightly more in touch with the rest of the world. She's found a measure of success with her art as well, exhibiting in Manchester, New London, Wakefield and Plainfield.

Her work is decidedly metropolitan, though, and even after 14 years, she sometimes finds it hard to fit in around here as an artist. The economy hasn't helped her business, either.

"I think it's beautiful here, and part of me loves it," Fischman said. "But in order for me to be happy, I need to be working, I need to be creating, and unfortunately, I am not busy enough."

As a partial solution, Fischman has recently begun immersing herself in software and technology and using them to enhance her work. "It's fabulous, it's just so empowering," she said.

(Fischman's work will be on display at Red River Theatres throughout the month of October. She'll be at the theater on Oct. 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. as part of Art Concord's gallery tour. For information, visit jfischmandesign.com.)