Isabel forbes - ISABEL FORBES

Category Archives: Isabel forbes

The Shape of Things

The crazy thing about being a somewhat realist painter is I am not painting things (people, birds, dogs, marsh grass, buildings) I am painting shapes. We are not a camera and the process of painting is kind of like magic. An painter looks at their subject and interprets what they see in to shapes. The size, color, shape & value of the shapes magically creates something we recognize. It always amazes when it turns out. Happy painting, happy seeing! Isabel

You can find this oil painting, Kite Flyer II 30″h x 15″w, at Sandpiper Gallery at Sullivan’s Island, SC

Self Portrait

urban landscape, window scene, spartanburg sc, venus pizza

Recently I was part of an art exhibit where artists were invited to paint a portrait of themselves on a 30″x30″ canvas.

I really found this idea a fun challenge. After many thoughts came and went I landed on the idea of painting myself in one of my own paintings.

The window scene is from a local Spartanburg, SC USA restaurant/landmark named Venus Pizza. Several years ago this was the subject of one of my paintings and I loved how the window divided up the space.

Gallery East Self Portrait art reception

Have Studio, Will Travel

Paint NC Plein Air event

This Summer I had the pleasure of traveling to many places. As an artist I’m always looking at the landscape around me and marveling at the beauty and thinking about how I can translate what I see in to a painting.

Photography is a great tool but with the click of a button your image is captured and you are off to the next beautiful thing. Plein-air painting (painting on location) is more like a meditation on a view.

Adirondack Painting trip

I travel with a back pack which holds my palette, paints, brushes and other supplies… a portable studio! Once I set up to paint I know I have no more than 3 hours to capture my interpretation of my view before the sun has presented me with a whole new light and shadow pattern.

Mosquitos love me!

Adirondacks in NY

When I look back on the painting I created on site I can remember the smells, the temperature, the sounds and yes sometimes even the bugs. I could never get this with a photo.

November 21st Gallery East in Spartanburg, SC – 512 East Main St will be showing a collection of my paintings created en plein air and studio paintings inspired by plein air paintings. If you are in town I hope you will stop by. Some other surprises during the reception are also being planned.

Hope you enjoy some of the images below for this year’s painting adventures.