BIOGRAPHY

Raised in Somerset County, New Jersey, Forbes began painting in her parents' driveway when she was a child. Even in her youth, she saw space as an opportunity to express and create. Her parents encouraged her to move off of the asphalt and into a studio. Since then, Forbes has been turning empty canvases into vivacious art.

Though inspired by late 19th & early 20th century masters such as Braque, Matisse, Gauguin and Cezanne, Forbes eschewed extended formal training for instinct. Her talent and inclination are not surprising given her strong artistic influences, both inherited and cultivated. Her maternal grandfather, Gerardus Beekman, was a gifted painter whom she credits with "enlivening my childhood and giving me my creative drive." Her paternal grandfather, Malcolm Forbes, was the iconic leader of Forbes magazine and a passionate, world-renowned collector of fine art. "I was so fortunate to be exposed to such a stimulating array of works that ranged from old European masters to modern artists, from the serious to the just pure fun." says Forbes. "My grandfather Malcolm was an imaginative, adventurous man and this spirit was happily reflected in the variety of art he collected."

Forbes currently lives in New York City and can frequently be found working in her New Jersey studio, set within a working farm.

ARTISTIC STYLE

Forbes' art is a celebration of colors and textures. She begins with a concept sketched on canvas, adding layers and depth as her vision evolves. "I am never certain what the finished piece will be until it presents itself," says Forbes. "It's like baking bread...one has to allow the dough to rise before one can predict the loaf's shape."

Building patterns within shapes within figures is Forbes' trademark, but it is what her paintings evoke which sets her apart. In the words of noted author and fine-art consultant, Jeremy Garfield-Davies:

   “Sabina Forbes' work is a warm, uplifting and passionate celebration of color, expression and release...Forbes has always had a great sensitivity to the human condition, particularly its energy which she observes as it alters moods and states. Her interest in the separation of colors and their relation to each other is confirmed in Forbes' study of many artists including Cezanne, Gauguin and Matisse. Like these artists, her paintings' free energy and originality belies their thoughtful construction. Forbes' paintings at once present a sea of vital united energy; yet, when approached, the component shapes separate to reveal a more diverse and fragmented make-up which divulges a greater depth and hidden complexity and structure as carefully demonstrated in her beautiful series entitled "Galactic Sea et Al" and in a previous set, "Music and Muse."

HIGHLIGHTS

Special Commission for the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom February 2012

Collaborative Exhibition with Romero Britto November 2009

A 2008 KiptonART Rising Winner

Range of solo and joint exhibitions, including in New York City, Miami, Sante Fe, Nantucket, Las Vegas & Washington, DC