Native Hoosiers James Farrington Gookins and John Washington Love were both accomplished artists who had trained professional both domestically and in Europe.

To help realize their vision, Gookins and Love rented the third floor of what was then known as the Fletcher & Sharpe Block, on the southwest corner of Washington and Pennsylvania streets.

[4] For $10 per month students were promised, "Neither pains nor expense spared to give pupils the most thorough and practical knowledge of principals and methods of art work.

It lived up to its name in every way—[We] talked, sang, played cards and pranks, was fused with enthusiasm, and incidentally drew, painted, and etched, and was much given to long excursions into the country where most of its real work was done.

"[11] Later that same year, much to the chagrin of the remaining students and faculty, the ISA was forced to permanently close its doors due to lack of funding and waning interest.

Fiscus chose to follow his teacher and mentor to Terre Haute to continue his artistic studies and to make an excursion to Chicago.

Back home again in Indianapolis and inspired by the art and entrepreneurship of Gookins, Fiscus was confident enough in his artistic abilities to hang up his shingle.

The 1880 edition of Polk's Indianapolis City Directory listed a new business that year: Fiscus and Scott, artists, located at 69 Fletcher & Sharpe Block.

Even though there was less competition in Indianapolis, working as an artist without a patron was challenging nevertheless, Fiscus eked out a meager living drawing crayon portraits and selling an occasional sketch over the next three years.

[7] From 1881 to 1884, Polk's Indianapolis City Directory listed Fiscus as a solo artist residing at 280 East St. Clair Street.

To help achieve their objectives, the AAI held its first international exhibit at the English Hotel, then located on the of intersection of Monument Circle and Meridian Street, on November 7–30, 1883.

[22] Winding down a productive and successful professional year, Fiscus accompanied some of his fellow artists on one of their customary sketching excursions to the country in late 1883.

His obituary appeared in the Indianapolis News the afternoon of his death, "FISCUS—Charles J. Fiscus, the young artist, aged 22 years 8 months and 20 days, this morning, 6th last, at 8:30 o'clock.

[25] The early works of Indiana artists such as Fiscus, the ISA, IAA, and AAI took root and started to grow in Indianapolis.

Nineteen years after Fiscus' death, a retrospective and contemporary exhibition of Indiana art was held at Tomlinson Hall, then located on the northeast corner of Market and Delaware streets, from April 27 to May 9, 1903.

The exhibit was organized to benefit the charitable organization, the Flower Mission, and featured 11 pieces by Fiscus alongside the works of John Love, James Gookins, Frank Scott, Jacob Cox, Dewey Bates, and the entire Hoosier Group: T. C. Steele, William Forsyth, Otto Stark, John Ottis Adams, and Richard Buckner Gruelle.

[26] A reporter for the Indianapolis News stated, "The work of Charles J. Fiscus shows a wide variety of subjects and a versatility in execution.