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Exhibition Information
As
the son of an Air Force serviceman stationed in a
small Japanese village, Ford's artistic sensibilities
began to take root under the nurturing eye of an elderly
Japanese painter. After moving back to the States,
he enrolled at the University of Mississippi in pursuit
of his BFA. After graduating with a degree in Painting,
Ford moved to Atlanta where he realized a natural
talent for photography. During the late 70's and 80's
Ford established his reputation as Atlanta's premier
fashion photographer.
The
early 90's, however, brought a compelling urge to
return to painting. Ford took a hiatus from photography
to travel the world and seek inspiration. After exploring
different painting styles and themes, Ford found tremendous
fulfillment creating contemporary landscapes conjured
from the stunning horizons witnessed during his travels.
Despite his photography background, Ford never paints
from a photograph.
Ford's
sense of nature is not a Romantic's wild and angry
universe. Rather, he recalls the startling color combinations
and mesmerizing horizons, then blends those images
with his own passion and optimistic philosophy of
life. The easy precision, subtlety and repose of his
paintings may well derive from that Asian aesthetic
he developed in his early years.
The
intensity of working over a single piece to finish
it makes the process very physical. He lets layers
of paint - acrylics on canvas - drip and flow, just
letting things happen. "I was taught in college to
let the paint find the imagery," he recalls. Still,
there is less accident in achieving these surfaces
than one might think. They're a study in control and
spontaneity, because while Ford may allow the materials
to find their own expression, he then moves to manipulate
them to achieve their unique composition and texture.
Often, he'll embellish the canvas with plaster granules
scattered across the wet surface as color and texture
are forced to intersect.
"Like life, my work often transforms from its original
idea," he muses, "But following a creative instinct
wherever it leads is where the fun and fascinationn
lie. Each painting is a unique journey with an undefined
destination."
Ford
resides in Roswell, GA with his wife and business
partner, Cristi and daughter, Hilary (17) attends
a performing arts magnent school as a drama major.
Their son Brian (24) lives in Atlanta and is a recent
grauate from Kenessaw University with a Bachelors
in Political Science. Their dogs (Pasta and Belle),
and cats (Alfredo and Jack) are also important family
members.
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