About the Artist
Christopher Forrest, ASMA, SAA
Painter, Veteran, Printmaker
“One does not so much view a Chris Forrest painting as walk into the scene unobserved. A key to Chris’ success with his subjects and their environs is his love and appreciation for the wilderness and enjoyment of what lives there.” Southwest Art Magazine
Chris’ first memories of art interest are colored pencils in the first grade; oil painting lessons at age 10 , and his first gallery show age 11. Growing up in rural NJ the outdoors was a large part of his childhood experience, with frequent family outings/fishing trips to the NJ Pinelands, Blue Ridge Mountains of VA, summer trips to a Canadian fishing camp, and Boy Scouts. While he always expected to go to art school, with the war in Vietnam ongoing he decided pursuing ROTC & civil engineering at Va Tech was more appropriate. Upon graduation he was commissioned in the US Army and served 10 years. Highlights include tours in Vietnam & Germany, command and operations assignments, graduate school in civil engineering at NC State, and both ranger and airborne qualification. During his last assignments in the States he rekindled his art in his free time focusing on wildlife with original hand drawn lithographs & etchings along with painting. His calling became obvious when he realized he was always reading some art instruction book as opposed to the latest road construction manual. He resigned from active duty and for the following 10 years was a full time printmaker and painter producing some 125+ hand drawn lithographs and etchings. During this period he also camped extensively for reference experience and as of now has wandered in all 4 corners of the country and eastern Canada.
In 1987 the company distributing his work closed and he made the decision that the time had come for career #3. He developed a financial services practice allowing Chris to work with w/individuals, practices, and businesses throughout the country. He briefly tried to dabble in art in the mid 90’s but it was an exercise in frustration to try to fit it in with his other responsibilities.
However he kept up the art study knowing the day would come for a return to art. By mid 2019 he had transitioned his practice which allowed him to start painting again. Living on a NJ coastal island his focus now is on everyday marine environments with wildlife in oils and acrylics. He is thoroughly enjoying the challenge of painting again, and attempting to get up to speed on today’s art world of web sites, social media, etc.
He is a Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists, Society of Animal Artists, International Guild of Realism Juried Member, American Artists Professional League Elected Artist, and has exhibited with the National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society, and Oil Painters of America. His work has been featured in American Art Collector, International Artists, Hyperrealism Magazine, PleinAir Magazine, Southwest Art, Wildlife Art, Prints, and Northlight Magazines along with Samuel’s Contemporary Western Artists. He is listed in Who’s Who In America and multiple editions of Who’s Who in American Art. Notable covers include Readers Digest and Duck’s Unlimited. His work has been exhibited in the Academy of Natural Sciences, Denver Museum of Natural History, National Wildlife Federation, NJ State Museum, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Easton Waterfowl Festival, Game Conservation International, and the Ward Foundation.
Chris (b 1946) is married with 3 children and 4 grandchildren, lives in Brigantine NJ, was a triathlete most of his post army life, and thoroughly enjoys grilling fish.
Artist’s Statement
When someone sees my work, I hope they get a sense of being in the outdoors, followed by the observation that the painter really enjoys creating his paintings, and finally that it all brings a smile. I am inspired, thrilled, and humbled by the challenges involved in depicting our wilderness areas and wildlife. I thoroughly enjoy the process from initially wandering in nature, planing a painting, the craft of applying paint, receiving my wife’s spot on critiques, making oh so many reworks & adjustments, to applying the final varnish. I am then excited to be moving on to a new work, exploring a new area, or seeing a new bird.
2024
-OPA juried “Redtail Landing into their Eastern Regional show
IGOR juried “Fishing Buddies” into their Salon show
-Tervarna awarded “Tern Playground “ Talent award in Water #6 contest
-NOAPS juried “Where’s the Party”? into their spring associates on line
-AAPL juried “Morning Meanders” into their spring members show
-Art & Color365 awarded “Seahawk Ascending” artistic recognition in their animals show
-American Artist Professional League juried “Afternoon Slumbers” into their Realism on the Hudson show
Teravarna awarded “Where’s the Party” & Evening Light” honorable mention in their Nature show
-Richeson75 selected “Morning Meanders” for their landscape/seascape meritorious list
-NOAPS juried “Let’s be Friends” into their international show, 200 accepted out of 12oo entries
2023
-Art Epic awarded “A Whale of a Tail” first prize in their Vistas contest
-IGOR juried “Seahawk Ascending” into their Salon show
-NOAPS juried “Seahawk Ascending” into their associate show
-CoosArt Museum/ASMA juried “Flyby” into their maritime show
-Camelback Gallery Realism Bronze Award “Breaktime”
-American Art Awards Realism/life 2nd place “We All Have Aspirations”
-American Art Awards Realism w/life 6th place “Breaktime”
-Top Art Awards February Finalist “Fishing Buddies”
-Plein Air Salon March top 100 , “A Whale of a Tail”
-National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society juried “Redtail Landing” into Best of America-Small Works
-International Guild of Realism juried “Let’s Be Friends” into the 17th Annual Exhibit
-Plein Air Salon May Top 100 “Let’s Be Friends”
-World Art Awards Category Realism w/Life 4th Place “A Whale of a Tail”
-Richeson75 Landscape, Seascape Competition Finalist “Breaktime”
-Richeson75 Landscape, Seascape Competition Meritorious “A Whale of a Tail”
-Plein Air Salon Honorable Mention “Seahawk Ascending”
International Guild of Realism Salon “Seahawk Ascending”
Camelback Gallery First Prize Oils “Evening Light”
Camelback Gallery Artist of the Month “Redtail Landing”
National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society juried into Associates Show “Seahawk Ascending”
2022
-Ridgewood Art Institute juried “Just Fishing” into their 42nd annual show
-National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society juried “Low Country Evening’ into Best of America Small Works
-Coos Bay Museum/ASMA Juried “Morning Meanders” into their Maritine show
-Coos Bay Museum/ASMA juried “Return of the Hunter” into their Maritime show
-National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society juried “Homeward Bound” into their international show (200 out of 1500 entries)
-Richeson75 International Competition Landscape/Seascape juried “Where’s the Party”? onto the meritorious list
-Richeson75 International Competition Landscape/Seascape juried “Tern Playground” onto the meritorious list
-International Guild of Realism juried “We All Have Aspirations” into their Salon show
-Art Renewal Center juried “Hazy Morning Harmony’” a semifinalist in their 16th annual international salon
-Art Renewal Center juried “Home Sweet Home” a semifinalist in their 16th annual international salon
2021
-National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society juried the painting “Flyover” into “Best of America Small Works”.
-Oil Painters of America juried the painting “Hazy Morning Hangout” into the national “Salon Show”.
-Copley Society juried the painting “Tern Playground “ into the “National Show-Land & Sea”.
-Richeson75 International Competition juried the painting “Flyover” into the Meritorious List.
-Light, Space, Time International Competition juried “Flyover” top 20 & Honorable Mention.
-Light, Space,Time International Competition juried “Hazy Morning Hangout” Special Merit.
-Fusion International Competition “Lines, et al” juried “Hazy Morning Hangout” a finalist.
-Light, Space,Time International Competition juried "Low Country Swans" Special Merit.
-National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society juried the painting “Tern Playground “ into the Associate on line show.
-American Society of Marine Artists juried “It’s MY Driftwood” & “Flyover” into the Northern Regional show.
-International Guild of Realism juried “Low Country Evening” into the Fall Salon Show.
-Light, Space, Time International awarded “Tern Playground” Honorable Mention Seascape Show.
-Richeson 75 International Competition juried “It’s MY Driftwood “ into the meritorious list.
-PleinAir Salon judged “Home Sweet Home” monthly winner animals ( 250 out of 8,000+ entries)
