ELAINE FORREST BA HONS.  

ARTISTS’ STATEMENT.

My working practice as an artist is difficult to categorise, although I consider myself a painter I am not adverse to using other materials to inform my work. Equally I am aware of Artists’ in Art History but I do not follow slavishly any “Ism’s", fashions or style, although these same influences inform my work.  I like to think I respond to the creative moment, while mindful of the work of other artists’.
It has never been my intention to create and duplicate work that is instantly recognisable as being created by myself. Rather depending on the subject matter or concept, I will consider how to make the work, whether to use paint, collage or 3D, or a mixture of materials.This means I have an eclectic approach to my work, sometimes the message is in the medium. I then hope that in presenting the work to the viewer they may bring their own interpretation to the piece.
This method of working means I can consider different materials if I feel they are more relevant than paint.
In common with other artists’ my inspiration is often of a personal nature and is an honest response to my daily experiences. Perhaps it could be regarded as a biography.
Images or work may be triggered by the environment I find myself in, by a casual remark or by a word from the local dialect. I may be influenced by a passage in a book, by travel, by the banal and everyday, by the weather or season, an event, or a set theme for an exhibition. Anything and everything can become the inspiration and subject for a piece of Art.
My methods may take the medium of photography, painting, drawing or 3D, the medium itself becomes the means of the narrative.
I have worked on classroom based projects with primary school children on a number of occasions. Some of my commissioned work was working with the elderly in a care home where I had to glean their memories of the area and create a MURAL from those memories. The mural spread over 2 walls within the residents day room. I also worked in collaboration with a painter and decorator to create the day room and make it bright and enticing. Other work has been of a more transient nature creating stage like props to decorate an outside space for a local pageant.
The unconformity of my working practice means my work is in constant flux, moving in many directions, depending on the concept, unconfined to any one artistic arena. I take heart from the fact that many artists’ before me spent long periods experimenting creatively with their own artistic language, and it is from their inspiration that I take mine.

ART EDUCATION
1995-1998 : Studied with Open College of the Arts
1998-2000 : Foundation and further development course with Leith School of Art Edinburgh, with portfolio preparation for college.
1999-2000 : Extended learning course by University of Edinburgh on Contemporary Religion and Philosophy.
2000 2004 B.A.Hons course in Drawing and Painting Edinburgh College of Art .

EMPLOYMENT
1969-1999: Self employed, successfully running a ladies hairdressing business, this has equipped me with the life skills of tenacity, perseverance and professionalism. I continue to work on a self-employed basis within this industry to provide me with the necessary funds required to pursue my artistic practise.

AWARDS AND EXHIBITIONS
1995-1998: Credits with Thames Valley University in collaboration with O.C.A.
1998-1999: End of year student exhibitions, L.S.A.
1999: Student of the year award, L.S.A.
2000: First year student award E.C.A.
1999-2003: End of year exhibitions, E.C.A.
2003 : Artists against war exhibition Roxy Art House, Edinburgh.
2003 : Andrew Grant bequest award E.C.A.
2003: Work with primary school children at Bellsquarry Primary School, Livingston. Assisting them with producing their own personal Art work, mounting it and creating an Art Gallery as part of their enterprise initiative.
2004: Achieved B.A. Hons. Degree from E.C.A.
2004: Degree Show E.C.A
2004-2005: Private commission for a large scale two wall mural for Leith Benevolent Society, with consultation and advice on the redecoration of the day room containing the mural.
2005-2006: Continued personal development of work, while undertaking private commissions.
2006: Exhibition at Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh. Exhibition based on art work inspired by words and phrases from the local dialect, and hung during the performance of Liz Locheads’ production of Tartuff also translated into Scottish dialect.
2006: Work Selected for Visual Arts Scotland exhibition.
2006: Collaboration with primary school children at Carmondean Primary with Artists Talks as part of the curriculum.
2006: Local Art Fayre Howden Park Centre.
2006- 2007: Development of New Work while undertaking private commissions.
2007: Work selected for North Ayrshire Exhibition.
2007: Work selected for illustration purposes in the 2007 edition of the Ironstone Poetry and writing showcase for local artists. Supported by S.A.C. and W. L. C.
2007: Nov. Six works submitted to Cancer Research exhibition.
2008: Feb. Six works selected for mixed exhibition, Just Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
2008: Work selected for North Ayrshire Open Exhibition
2009: Work selected for O.C.A. for exhibition at ocean terminal Leith Edinburgh
2009: Corridor exhibition with O.C.A. at Leith School of art.
2010: Collaboration with primary school children at Carmondean Primary school with Artists Talks as part of the curriculum. 2010: Work selected for North Ayrshire Open Exhibition
2011 : Work selected for Howden Park Pilot Open Art Exhibition, Livingston.