Jonathan Forrest, "Best Foot Forward"

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"Making a Move"

Jonathan Forrest, "Making a Move," Acrylic on canvas, 32" x 24".

Opening Reception: Saturday, October 6 from 2 - 4 pm

Artist in attendance.

With the dynamic imagery of Jonathan Forrest’s vertical bursts, “Best Foot Forward” features a cast of bold, quirky, and playful characters. Over the past few years, these graphic anthropomorphic shapes have become the basis for Forrest’s joyful and often humorous approach to abstraction. Created from thick, yet smoothly articulated planes of acrylic in relief against a flat ground, the burst acts as a foundation for Forrest’s ongoing exploration of the complexities of colour and paint application. With seemingly endless variations of transparent to opaque colour, of the figure’s placement on the canvas, and of gesture within the central form, each painting is imbued with a distinct personality.

Born 1962 in Edinburgh, Scotland, Jonathan Forrest immigrated with his family to Canada in 1977. He studied at the University of Saskatchewan, receiving his BFA in 1983 and his MFA in 1991. Since 1985, Forrest has both participated in and coordinated several artists' workshops, including the popular Emma Lake Artists' Workshop in rural Saskatchewan. His work has been widely exhibited across Canada and his paintings are featured in numerous collections including the Canada Council / Art Bank, Canpotex International, Dunlop Art Gallery, Edmonton Art Gallery, The Glenbow Museum, Mendel Art Gallery, Moose Jaw Art Museum, Mackenzie Art Gallery, Saskatchewan Arts Board, University of Lethbridge, and University of Saskatchewan.