Marsh Madness

Edward Dare Gallery
Friday March 4
FIRST FRIDAY ON BROAD, Charleston, SC
5 - 8 pm French Quarter Gallery Association Artwalk

I will be one of several artists represented by Edward Dare Gallery in Charleston, SC that will be a part of this exhibit. My painting Lowcountry Marsh, 24"x24" oil on canvas, is one of the pieces in the show.

Multi-Cultural Exhibition

Artist Guild of Spartanburg, SC Gallery: Multi-Cultural Exhibition

at the Chapman Cultural Center

Multi-Cultural Exhibition: Feb. 7 – Feb. 19, 2011. The reception is on Thursday Feb. 17, 6 - 8:00 pm during Artwalk.

Celebrating Multi-Culturalism within the Guild’s membership! Many Guild members from a variety of cultures here and around the world will exhibit their artwork in the Guild Gallery during this month. Visitors may be surprised at the different countries represented within the Guild's membership.

Sweet Grass Rose, 16"x12", oil on canvas

This is my submission in to the Multi-Cultural Exhibition. I entered the exhibit because I am half Dutch. Here is the artist statement for the exhibition

My father, Jacques Forbes, was born in Curacao, a Dutch island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. As the kid of a Dutch man I always had a real interest in the Dutch artists, Rembrant, Frans Hals and Johannes Vermeer. My mother would check out framed prints of some of these Dutch Masters from the Spartanburg County Library and hang them over the fireplace of our home. I can remember being fascinated with the way they recreated light in their paintings. Today, the play of light and dark is an important part of the paintings I create.

The Sketchbook Project 2011

Here is a slideshow of my sketchbook:

The Sketchbook Project

Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the country.

After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.

This is how it works:

Each artist is sent the same blank Moleskine sketchbook. We've only got two rules: first, the book must be used in some way - no sending us back an empty book or a completely different book! Second, the sketchbook must stay within its original dimensions (because we don't want to have to provide an extra suitcase just for your book while we're touring the country).

Each book will be given a barcode so we can easily catalog it into The Brooklyn Art Library system. Once we catalog it, artists will be able to track where on the tour their book is viewed and how many times someone pulled it from the shelf!

28838 artists from 94 countries around the world are participating. The tour starts March, 2011.

Lowcountry Fishing

While I painted this in my studio I was dreaming of warmer days down in the SC Lowcountry. We have had record snow here in the Upstate of Spartanburg, SC and, although I've seen some beautiful snowscapes... future paintings (maybe in the Summer!), I must admit I love warm weather.

This painting (oil on canvas, 10"x20") can be found at The Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan's Island, SC

Highway 11, another roadside attraction

The painting on my easel is currently a local landmark located just beyond Lake Bowen Spartanburg, SC I painted a small "thumbnail" version of this a few yars ago and now I'm tackling this 24" x 36".

My overhead bank of natural lights create a faux skylight so I wear the visor to block out the glare. A painting this size so of "takes me in" and I feel like I'm right on the side of the road on Highway 11. This is beautiful country! In high school we'd cruise out 11 and feel like we were in another world.

When I moved back to Spartanburg after being away for 30 years I was shocked to discover the Boiling Springs area (just down the street from this gas station) had turned into a megatropolis! Gone are the farms and acres and acres of peach fields. I was completely disoriented.

Part of my goal for 2011 is to get out and create plein air paintings to bring back to my studio to paint larger paintings of the many "roadside attractions" that are in danger of disappearing.

Happy drawing & painting!

Isabel

Postcards from Charleston

My last post was about my "Postcards" project. I've decided to expand on this idea and I have created some "Postcards from Charleston". Both of these series are available at the galleries that represent me in Charleston & Sullivan's Island. In fact both Edward Dare Gallery at Charleston, SC and and Sandpiper Gallery at Sullivan's Island, SC are currently hosting a show for the holidays called "Postcards from Charleston" and "Postcards from Sullivan's Island" through January.

I really am enjoying creating these small works (all of these paintings are 6"x8") in between the larger studio paintings I create. The process of being able to create something in one studio setting and the challenge of keeping things simple keep me on my toes.

© Isabel Forbes 2010

6"x8" oil on canvas, Window Box

http://isabelforbes.com/

© Isabel Forbes 2010

8"x6" oil on canvas, Basket Weaver

http://isabelforbes.com/

© Isabel Forbes 2010

6"x8" oil on canvas, Market

http://isabelforbes.com/

© Isabel Forbes 2010

8"x6" oil on canvas, Charleston Porch

http://isabelforbes.com/

© Isabel Forbes 2010

8"x6" oil on canvas, Carriage Ride

http://isabelforbes.com/

© Isabel Forbes 2010

8"x6" oil on canvas, St Philips Steeple

http://isabelforbes.com/

© Isabel Forbes 2010

8"x6" oil on canvas, Sweetgrass Rose

http://isabelforbes.com/

© Isabel Forbes 2010

8"x6" oil on canvas, Rx King Street

http://isabelforbes.com/

© Isabel Forbes 2010

8"x6" oil on canvas, Sweetgrass Artist

http://isabelforbes.com/

© Isabel Forbes 2010

6"x8" oil on canvas, Artist's Hands

http://isabelforbes.com/

Several of these paintings have already sold, but if you are interested in any of them contact the galleries listed.

Happy drawing & painting!

Postcards from Sullivan's Island

I recently decided to create a series of small, 6"x8" oil painting and call them "Postcards from Sullivan's Island". When I paint these small paintings they act like my thumbnail sketches only done in oil paint. While painting these paintings I can decide which paintings I would like to create a larger version of. It is always a challenge to paint small. I use bruches that are about 1/2 inch in width so I won't get too picky.

Hope you enjoy the journey to Sullivan's Island, SC.

These paintings are now at Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan's Island, SC

Happy drawing & painting!