Jonathan Forrest on How He Traps Light In His Paintings
Canadian abstract artist Jonathan Forrest introduces his July 2017 solo exhibition at the Michael Gibson Gallery in this sneak peek video. In the video Forrest explains how layers of overlapping transparent colours create radiant, light-filled paintings.
Jonathan Forrest's solo exhibition begins at the Michael Gibson Gallery on July 4, 2017 and runs until July 29, 2017.
"Light and Matter" will be Jonathan's third solo exhibition at the gallery.
Working within the Canadian prairie abstract school, Forrest pushes the boundaries of abstraction by using new tools and methods to create his paintings. The thick wedge of paint on flat colourful grounds is created by many paper-thin layers of paint applied with a squeegee. These transparent colours when combined interact and create the illusion of depth.
Jonathan Forrest is an abstract painter who divides his studio time between Vancouver Island and small town Saskatchewan, Canada. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and immigrated with his family to Canada in 1977.
Forrest studied at the University of Saskatchewan receiving his BFA in 1983 and his MFA in 1991. Jonathan has participated in several artists’ workshops including The Emma Lake Artists’ Workshop (1985, 1988, 1991, 2001, 2003 and 2005), The “Saskatchewan Invitational artists’ workshop”, Emma Lake (2000), and Triangle Artists’ Workshop, Brooklyn, NY (2002).
His work has been shown in Western Canada in museums including the Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, The Edmonton Art Gallery and The Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina.
Public collections include the Canada Council / Art Bank, Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, Edmonton Art Gallery, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw Art Museum, Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan Arts Board, University of Lethbridge and the University of Saskatchewan.
