Chris Forsey
Biography
Chris Forsey is a professional painter who began his career as an illustrator in a publisher’s studio after studying art and graphics in Bristol. He is a self-taught painter whose work combines watercolour, acrylic, pastel and gouache. He exhibits in galleries in England and Scotland and runs painting courses and holidays in the UK and Europe.
His work explores landscape through a semi-abstract approach, including coastal landscapes, countryside, architecture, cities, towns, villages and old buildings. He has made five DVDs for Townhouse Films, contributes to The Artist magazine and is the author of Mixed Media Landscapes and Seascapes, published by Batsford. He received the F Donald Blake Award in 2006 and the Matt Bruce Memorial Award in 2007. He was elected to the Society of Graphic Fine Art in 2009.
Artist Statement
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 and have been a professional painter for 30 years, constantly extending my skills in water-based media.
I regularly re-appraise my style and technique, which has led me towards a mixed-media approach combining watercolour, acrylic, pastel and gouache. I am exhilarated by colour and surface, and enjoy creating textured layers of dry-brushed, broken and glazed colour, allowing hints of complementary hues to glow through. I work quickly after careful planning of content, composition, media and colour, exploiting the serendipitous effects of water-based media to create exciting, spontaneous work.
I specialise in landscape subjects, exploring the relationship between the man-made and the organic. I am inspired by coastal landscapes, downland, countryside, architectural subjects, cities, towns, villages, old buildings and café life. I enjoy capturing fleeting light, atmosphere, weather and the sense of a place at a particular moment, season or time of day, always endeavouring to bring passion and immediacy to my work.