Dana Forrester, Watercolorist Extraordinaire

While searching for a subject that would combine a design-oriented composition with his detailed drawing / painting technique, Dana Forrester developed the brick wall series that has become central to to his national reputation.  In addition to his brick wall paintings, Dana also explores other aspects of commercial advertising in his art — old signs, storefronts, and neon signs.  Dana refers to his work as photorealism. Though he uses photographs as a beginning for many of his watercolors, he frequently prefers to delete some items while adding others to enhance his paintings.  Thus, any given wall sign paintings may contain disparate elements from multiple wall signs in different locations.  “Photography, ” says Dana, “should serve as a reference for authenticity, and not as a crutch which limits … creativity.”

Dana has painted professionally since 1973,  and taught advanced art at the high school level until 1987, when he began to paint on a full-time basis. He has won many awards in regional and national exhibits and, in 1981, when he was elected as a member of the American Watercolor Society, he became one of the few painters to be a member of both the American and National Watercolor Societies. Dana Forrester lives in Independence, Missouri.