Jonathan Forrest

Open Window

June 2026, Newzones Contemporary Art Gallery, Calgary, AB.

No artist likes writing an artist statement (or none that I know)… especially me! I normally don’t want to articulate what the paintings are doing for fear of short-circuiting the viewer’s experience. Sure, a few pointers like “colour”, “light”. Throw in “structure” and “process” and that’s pretty much it for me. But here I am, pen in hand and duty calls. It’s the problem of explaining yourself. Or more like partially explaining an aspect of yourself that often misdirects. Pre-emptively using language to guide the viewer as to how to look at the work. And so often I’ve had the experience of being told how to look at an artist’s work and of being baffled when I’m actually in front of the pieces and they’re not as advertised.

I remember seeing Matisse’s work for the first time in person in New York at MOMA back in the 1980s when I was a young painter. We’d studied him in school and I knew what to look for, but standing there in front of them it was a completely different experience. Eventually I had to ditch the theory and embrace the experience. Why had no one mentioned how involved he was with the painting process? And sure I was looking for nice pure colour but in person the colour was often mixed and weird (and so much richer once I’d given myself over). Why did I have to go through all the work of theoretical learning only to then have to unlearn it? It felt like a bit of a trick had been played on me. Couldn’t I just stand there and take it in and trust the feeling? Well that was a long time ago and part of me does like to learn about artists, read about them, read what other artists and critics think. But I try to keep it in perspective. And keep it in order – art experience first, explanation and chit chat later.

So what about my new paintings in this show? Best to look at them first, but I’ll mention the context that nudged me in this direction. In the fall of 2025 we went to a concert in an old church in the old quarter of Nanaimo with an artist couple we’re friends with. It was of interest to us because it paired classical music with colour and art. Just the kind of thing we’re into. The format of the evening was live music with projections of art and between each piece of music some talk connecting the two. Sounded great, but the digital projections were washed out with drab bland colour. So the idea and the experience didn’t line up – a big disconnect. In the intermission our gang noted this and we all turned to the stained glass windows in the church venue and agreed – that was the actual colour and light right there. Forget the “art”, those windows were where it’s at. In the following months those church windows stuck in my mind and I started some paintings taking off from them and after some searching (and a photo of the window that Patrick had the wherewithal to take and to send to me – big thanks to him for that!) this became the basis for this current show “Open Window”. I hope you enjoy the experience!

Jonathan Forrest, May, 2026

66" x 48" Canvas works:

"First Impression", Acrylic on Canvas, 66" x 48", 2026