James Forte
About
About the Artist
Over forty years ago I launched CIP, a commercial and industrial contract company providing painting services for factories, warehouses, offices, tanks, silos – and even airports.
Now I’ve retired (my son Edmond runs the company these days) but I’m still inescapably locked into paint. However, my modus operandi has now undergone something of a paradigm shift. I’ve abandoned airless sprayers, pressure washers and scaffolding. Today the main tools of my trade are a palette knife, an easel, canvas and artists’ paint.
Now I’m more likely to be working with ‘Prussian Blue Hue’ than ‘Aluminium Quick Dry Enamel’!
First Steps
At the time I set up my ‘wannabee Jackson Pollack’ art studio next to my house I hadn’t put a brush to paper in over 54 years. I bought all the equipment I thought I needed – everything to do with water colour painting. I sat down and studied numerous art videos but still ended up staring at a blank sheet of paper – with no clue how to start.
I found a photograph of a sunset I had taken and decided to paint it. People seemed to like the result. But the truth is I did not enjoy the medium at all…and that sunset may be my one and only watercolour.
Heavy Body Acrylic Paint
After that I invested in a month of experimentation with oil, latex – and wood. I even started using house paint. I created five very different works, including one comprising latex house paint and a piece of bark. Again, they all seemed to go down well with others – but I still had no real personal satisfaction.
I needed to paint bigger.
I acquired four large, secondhand framed canvasses that had pictures printed on them. I primed them with white acrylic house primer. Then I discovered a company that makes very fine heavy body acrylic paints for artists – and I bought their six-colour starter kit. At last it was all starting to click.
Sharp Focus on the Abstract
Somewhat naively, I assumed I would be able to paint on demand – but all too often I found myself staring frustratingly at an innocent blank canvas. Now sometimes two weeks can pass between paint sessions – then inspiration kicks in and I reach for my trusty putty knife. I turn up the heavy metal music and don’t stop until I’ve finished. I always know when it’s done.
I’m lucky that my forty years in the commercial paint business means I can really understand colours – what looks great and what doesn’t. I have a sharp focus on abstract art and completely in sync with the artist who noted that ‘abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes.’
The Future
For me it’s about shape, texture, colours and space. The abstract medium enables me to release my emotions – it’s an intensely private process. It can be about mystery as opposed to the very obvious. It’s not easy, now I am happy to kneel by my bed each night and thank my God I don’t have to paint for a living. It’s an uncharted path I find myself on and I have no clue where it’s going to lead.