Chris Forsey

                     Artist - Illustrator

News and Events 2009 - 2010

Solo exhibition at GUILDFORD HOUSE GALLERY, Guildford 6th-27th March 2010 “DOWNLAND” :
New landscape paintings of North and South downs.SEE PAINTINGS HERE

Group exhibition NEW ASHGATE GALLERY, Farnham 12 th- 30 th September:
“CREAM OF THE CROP” the best of the Surrey Artists Open studios/Baines award , come and vote for me and help me win the award!

Group exhibition “SEVEN” WEST DEAN GALLERY 2nd – 15th October :
7 painters and makers have got together to put on an interesting show.

Solo Exhibition BUCKENHAM GALLERIES, Southwold 16th October 10 th November 2010

Open Studio 12th , 13th,18th, 20th June 2010 :
visit my home, meet the artist, see my work.

WEST DEAN WEEKEND PAINTING COURSE: A 3 day residential course at West Dean College, Chichester ,tutored painting in mixed media inspiration taken from the architecture and landscape surrounding the college - October 16, 17 and 18. Brochures are available from West Dean College. See www.westdean.org.uk for details. Contact the college on 01243 811301, or email: enquiries@westdean.org.uk.

Biography

I began my art career as an illustrator in a publisher's studio after studying art and graphics in Bristol. I am a self taught watercolour painter, constantly trying to extend and add to my skills in water-based media. I have exhibted on numerous occasions with the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour. I am a tutor of painting and run my own watercolour classes in Surrey and Sussex and in the Greek Islands. I also give lively and informative demonstraitons to art societies and groups thoughout South East England and am delighted to undertake commisssions of landscape subjects and house portraits.

I endeavour to re-appraise my style and technique on a regular basis and this has led me towards a mixed-media approach to my work, combining watercolour, acrylic, pastel and gouache. I am exhilarated by colour and surface and enjoy creating textured layers of dry-brushed colour that allow hints of complementary hue to glow through, thus creating an exciting surface of scattered, broken colour.

I specialise in landscape subjects, exploring the themes of man-made alongside the organic: buildings by water; structure emerging from a rocky cliff, sometimes with figures contributing to this theme, inhabiting the middle ground between buidings and the wildness of nature. I am inspired by downland, coastal scenes of the Uk and the Mediternean, cafe life and townscapes. I try to capture the sense of a place at a specific moment, season or time of day, always endeavouring to bring passion and immediacy to my work.

Chris was awarded the prestigious F DONALD BLAKE AWARD for a contemporary watercolour by the LINCOLN JOYCE gallery in 2006at the RI spring exhibition and also THE MATT BRUCE MEMORIAL AWARD for light and colour at the 2007 RI exhibition.