Biography

Jonathan Forrest

Jonathan Forrest is an abstract painter who divides his studio time between Vancouver Island and small town Saskatchewan, Canada.  He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and immigrated with his family to Canada in 1977.

Forrest studied at the University of Saskatchewan receiving his BFA in 1983 and his MFA in 1991. Jonathan has participated in several artists’ workshops including The Emma Lake Artists’ Workshop (1985, 1988, 1991, 2001, 2003 and 2005), The “Saskatchewan Invitational artists’ workshop”, Emma Lake (2000), and Triangle Artists’ Workshop, Brooklyn, NY (2002).

His work has been shown in Western Canada in museums including the Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, The Edmonton Art Gallery and The Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina.  In 2021, the Art Gallery of Swift Current organized a survey exhibition, which followed the trajectory of Jonathan Forrest’s painting practice from 2002 to 2019

Public collections include the Canada Council / Art Bank, Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, Edmonton Art Gallery, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw Art Museum, Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan Arts Board, University of Lethbridge and the University of Saskatchewan.

“… 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. A natural openness and curiosity has kept me alert to the range of potential approaches to art-making. 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.”

Selected Works

Exhibitions

Chroma VI

March 2 - March 30 - 2024

“Chroma VI”

March group show celebrating the multiple contrasting elements of colour.

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Jonathan Forrest

December 1 - December 30 - 2023

Jonathan Forrest

December exhibition featuring new veil-like abstracts that explore the feeling of "looking into a space".

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Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION

BFA, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, 1983
MFA, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, 1991

COLLECTIONS

Alberta Securities Commission, Edmonton, AB
Art Gallery of Alberta
Bank of Montreal
Canada Council / Art Bank
Canpotex International
Cenovus Energy Ltd.
Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina
Edmonton Art Gallery
Encana Corporation
Glenbow Museum, Calgary
James Hotel, Saskatoon, SK
McKenzie Lake Lawyers LLP, London
Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon
Moose Jaw Art Museum
Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina
Norcen, Calgary
Nordstrom’s
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Arts Board
Stantec, Edmonton
Suncorp Valuations, Saskatoon
TD Bank
University of Lethbridge
University of Saskatchewan
Westburne Industries, Montreal
Wood Gundy, Edmonton

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2022 “Colour Chorus”, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, ON
2022 “Playing in the Field of Form”, Newzones Gallery, Calgary, AB
2021 “One Thing Leads to Another” (Survey), Art Gallery of Swift Current, SK
2021 “Painter’s Prerogative”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc., Saskatoon, SK
2020 “Keep on Keeping ON”, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, ON
2019 “The Other Side of Colour”, Newzones Gallery, Calgary, AB
2019 “Material Resonance”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc., Saskatoon, SK
2018 “Colour Coherence”, Peter Robertson Gallery, Edmonton, AB
2017 “Building Blocks of Colour”, Newzones Gallery, Calgary, AB
2017 “Light and Matter”, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, ON
2016 “Night and Day”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc., Saskatoon, SK
2016 “A Conversation with Colour”, Peter Robertson Gallery, Edmonton, AB
2016 “Jonathan Forrest & Brad Howe – Recent Work”, Gallery Jones, Vancouver, BC
2015 “Open Source”, Newzones, Calgary , AB
2014 “Field Notes”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Saskatoon, SK
2012 “Best Foot Forward”, Peter Robertson Gallery, Edmonton, AB
2012 “Loud and Clear”, Newzones Gallery, Calgary, AB
2011 “Character Study”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Saskatoon, SK
2010 “Mind over Matter”, Peter Robertson Gallery, Edmonton, AB
2010 “Splinter Group”, Newzones Gallery, Calgary, AB
2009 “Power Play”, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, ON
“More Pieces to the Puzzle”, Art Placement, Saskatoon, SK
2008 “Cross Section”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc, Saskatoon SK, November
“Off the Grid”, Peter Robertson Gallery, Edmonton, AB
2007 “Recent Paintings”, NewZones, Calgary, AB
2006 “Recent Work”, The Vanderleelie Gallery, Edmonton, AB
2004 “Recent Work”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc., Saskatoon, SK
2003 “Recent Work”, The Vanderleelie Gallery, Edmonton, AB
2002 “Recent Work”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc., Saskatoon, SK
2001 “Recent Work”, The Vanderleelie Gallery, Edmonton
1997 “Recent Work”, The Vanderleelie Gallery, Edmonton
1997 “Recent Work”, The Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, (toured to the Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon)
1994 “Salon Series”, 1995, Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina, Sask.
“Paper Works 1989-1993”, The Swift Current National Exhibition Centre, Swift Current, Sask.
1994 “Studio Watch”, The Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Sask.
1993 “Recent Work”, The Grand Forks Art Gallery, Grand Forks
1990 “Recent Work”, The Vik Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta
1990 “M.F.A. Exhibition”, Gordon Snelgrove Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
1990 “Recent Work”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1990 “Recent Work”, The Swift Current National Exhibition Centre, Swift Current, Saskatchewan, (Toured to Moose Jaw Art Museum)
1989 “Recent Paintings and Sculptures”, The Francis Morrison Library, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1988 “Recent Work”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1987 “Jonathan Forrest, Recent Paintings and Sculptures”, Gordon Snelgrove Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

TWO-PERSON / FEATURE EXHIBITIONS

2005 “Squares and Stuff”, A group abstract show featuring three new large works at Encomium Contemporary Art, Toronto, ON.
2001 “Materialism (2)”, Art Gallery of Swift Current, Swift Current, Saskatchewan (Clay Ellis, Jonathan Forrest, Terry O’Flanagan)
2000 “Materialism”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc., Saskatoon, Sk. (Clay Ellis, Jonathan Forrest, Terry O’Flanagan)
1997 “Jonathan Forrest & Pat Service”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc., Saskatoon
1991 “Jonathan Forrest & Scott Plear” The Vik Gallery, Edmonton
1991 “Large Scale Paintings Featuring Works by Jonathan Forrest”, Virginia Christopher Galleries, Calgary, Alberta
1987-88 “Studio Watch”, The Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta
1984 “Jonathan Forrest and Kim Houghtaling”, Gordon Snelgrove Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1983 “Jonathan Forrest and Gary Pearson”, B.F.A. exhibition, Gordon Snelgrove Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Sk.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

“Rain Shadow”, Nanaimo Art Gallery, BC, February 26 – April 25, 2021
“Restless Geometry”, Gallery Jones, Vancouver, BC, Feb 28 – March 30, 2019
“Thick and Thin”, Jonathan Forrest, William Perehudoff and Robert Christie, The Gallery / Art Placement, Saskatoon, SK, 2014
“The Material Form: Contemporary Abstract Painting”, Gallery Jones, Vancouver, BC, 2014
“Spell”, The Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK, September 2005 (co-curated with Jordan Broadworth – travelled to the Robet McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, November 2006 and the Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, ON, July 2006) Catalogue
2007 “Abstract: Three Generations,” Michael Gibson Art Gallery, London, Ontario
“Abstraction: Perehudoff | Christie | Forrest”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc.
2006 “Abstraction”,(group show featuring works by Jordan Broadworth, Francisco Castro, Cora Cluett, Karin Davie, Jonathan Forrest, Ilse Gradwohl, Elizabeth McIntosh, Ruben Ortiz Torres, Irma Palacios, Elspeth Pratt, Laura St Pierre), Diaz Contemporary, Toronto, ON.
2005 “Spell”, The Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK, (co-curated this exhibition with Jordan Broadworth – travelled to the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, November, 2006 and the Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, ON, July 2006). Catalogue
2005 “Three Generations – London, UK”, APT Gallery, London, England
2004 “Sunscreen”, Newzones Gallery, Calgary, AB
2004 “Three Generations – Perehudoff / Christie / Forrest”, Kenderdine Art Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK.
2003 “New Abstraction”, The Gallery / Art Placement, Inc., Saskatoon, SK
2003 “The Intangible”, The Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
2003 “Lodestar”, The Kenderdine Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
2003 “The Power of 10”, Vanderleelie Gallery, Edmonton, AB
1994 “Contemporary Canadian Abstraction: A Selection”, The Kenderdine Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
1994 “Recent Acquisitions”, The Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon
1992 “Saskatchewan Symbiotics in the Visual Arts – Harvest 20 Years”, Maison de la culture Cotes-des-Neiges, Montreal
1990 “Within Range”, (Touring) Organized by the Prichard Art Gallery, University of I Idaho, USA, Itinerary: Prichard Art Gallery, U of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho October
1990 Paris Gibson Square, Great Falls, Montana, January/February 1991, Missoula Museum of the Arts, Missoula, Montana, USA.
1990 “Recent Contemporary Acquisitions”, The Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1988 “A Common Bond”, The Swift Current National Exhibition Centre, Swift Current, Saskatchewan
1987 “Saskatchewan Art”, The Art Centre, University of New Brunswick, St. Johns, New Brunswick, (Touring the Maritimes and Saskatchewan)
1986 “Young Saskatoon Artists”, The Francis Morrison Library, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1986 “Works on Paper”, The Wade Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.

EMMA LAKE WORKSHOPS

August 2012, Emma Lake Artists Workshop (participant), Elizabeth McIntosh
August 2009, Emma Lake Artists Workshop (participant), Kim Dorland
July 2007 Emma Lake Artists Workshop, (participant), Monica Tap
August 2005 Emma Lake Artists Workshop, (organizer), Ron Shuebrook and Robert Christie
August 2003 Emma Lake Artists Workshop, (organizer), Clay Ellis and Karen Wilkin
October 2002 Triangle Artists Workshop, Brooklyn, NY, (participant)
August 2001 Emma Lake Artists Workshop, (organizer), Chris Cran
July 2000 SIAW workshop, Emma Lake, SK, (participant)
July 1991 Emma Lake Artist’s Workshop, (participant), Kenneth Noland, John Gibbons
July 1988 Emma Lake Artist’s Workshop, (participant), Joseph Drapell, Harold Feist
July 1985 Emma Lake Artist’s Workshop, (participant), Karen Wilkin and Maryanne
Harman

REVIEWS & PUBLICATIONS

Gilbert Bouchard, “Rural immersion colours Saskatoon artist`s work”, Edmonton Journal – “What`s On”, June 6, 2008
Gilbert Bouchard, “Abstractionist`s work looks to the future, not the past”, Edmonton Journal, The Visual Arts, June 23, 2006
Robert Christie, “Jonathan Forrest: New Works”, (catalogue essay, Art Gallery of Swift Current), 1990
Julia Dault, “Prairie Fields of Colour”, National Post, April 15, 2004, B6
Robert Enright, “Shaking Up All Over”, Border Crossing, Winter 2004 (“borderviews section”)
Terry Fenton, “Studio Visit”, (pamphlet for studio watch exhibition at the Mendel Art Gallery), 1994
Sky Glabush, “Three Generations”, Canadian Art, Summer 2004 (exhibition review)
Sky Glabush, “Pursuing Paint”, the Mendel Art Gallery, Folio magazine, Winter 2000/01 (transcript of conversation between Glabush & Forrest)
Sky Glabush, “Materialism”, New West Magazine, 2000 (exhibition review)
Piri Halasz and David Evison, “A Tale Of Three Cities”, NY Arts Magazine , March, 2005
Helen Marzolf, “Jonathan Forrest: Recent Paintings”, 1998 (essay for exhibition at the Dunlop Art Gallery)
Karen Wilkin, “An Inadvertent Vanguard”, The Hudson Review, NY, Spring 2002
Karen Wilkin, “Northerness and Other Considerations: At the Museums and Elsewhere”, The Hudson Review, NY, Winter 2004

ARTICLES BY THE ARTIST

Walker Cultural Leader Series“, Artist Talk/Video Presentation, Brock University, St. Catherines, ON. February 2021
“Spell” Catalogue text – “Western Artists”, The Mendel Art Gallery, September 2005
“Spell” Catalogue text – “Joint Statement” co-authored with Jordan Broadworth, The Mendel Art Gallery, September 2005
“Artists by Artists – Jonathan Forrest & Nancy Lowry”, exhibition essay for the Mendel Art Gallery, 2002

News

Jonathan Forrest

“Colour Chorus” VIDEO

Jonathan Forrest narrates our newest video about his "Colour Chorus" exhibit

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Art with Heart October 18

29th Annual Art with Heart on October 18

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Videos

Jonathan Forrest “Colour Chorus”

Jonathan Forrest narrates a short video describing the development of his new series of paintings included in his Fall exhibit "Colour Chorus".

ACI Visits “Chroma” Exhibit

Sara Angel, Founder and Executive Director of the Art Canada Institute recently spent a morning at the Michael Gibson Gallery. Join Angel as she receives a tour of the exhibit "Chroma" and discusses with Michael Gibson and Jennie Kraehling the many artists exploring glorious colour through their artworks.