Jonathan Forrest: The Other Side Of Colour

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Jonathan Forrest, "Breathe (In The Air)," 2019

acrylic on canvas, 66" x 48"

Part of the vibrant next generation of Saskatchewan’s abstract painters, Jonathan Forrest’s boldly coloured acrylic paintings playfully reference post-war abstract painting. But instead of introspectively exploring the canvas, these layered paintings lift from the surface, tactfully invading the viewers’ space. Forrest’s paintings play within the limitations of a flat surface while opening up new possibilities for spatial composition. In the context of a history of painting defined by flatness, Jonathan Forrest is re-inventing the idea of contemporary abstract prairie painting.

Of his practice Jonathan Forrest states:

“My work is a combination of intuitive responses to the world around me, an ongoing dialogue with contemporary and historical painting, and an enthusiastic immersion in the material process of making objects. My natural openness and curiosity has kept me alert to a range of potential approaches to art-making and my creative process is positive – I’m interested in creating something new, something generous and giving and above all, something that sustains me in the studio. Painting today allows me to explore my humour, to playfully reference past art styles and to juggle all this into my own eclectic vision.”