Oi Fortin
Encierro, Original Abstract Painting, 2019
2019

About the Item

Artist Commentary: Stop shrinking is based on a mentality I have had for far too long. I have found that I have been shrinking to fit the places I have outgrown. By this I mean that I stayed in a place in my life that was like having my head in the sand. Opinions of others always came with a ‘Yes, but…’. It was my comfort zone. I had grown beyond it but tried to stay there anyway. Then COVID came along and with it the quarantine. Then the issues of social injustice raged to the surface and at that point I woke me up. All this began a paradigm shift for me. I started thinking about things differently than I ever had before. I realized I had backed myself into a corner that I didn’t like being in. There IS more and others have a lot to say that I never listened to before. I’m listening now. I’ll leave it there. Suffice it to say I have done a 180 in my life. I am so thankful! I just hope that we (Americans) can get past the box that it has built for ourselves? Is it too late? I have faith in humanity. About the artist: I have been an artist all my life, ever since I could hold a pencil. I have always loved to draw and paint. My styles have varied over the years from realism to abstract and everything in between. The mediums I most enjoy working with are: oil, colored pencil, charcoal, graphite, watercolor, pen & ink, alcohol ink, and acrylic. Currently I am experiencing a mammoth amount of creative freedom working on abstract art. In 2015, I donated one of my kidneys to a young woman who had only been born with one very diseased kidney. Since then she has been thriving and now going to college and living her life. What a blessing! I consider this a privilege and I'm so happy I was a match for her. I have lived all over the country (U.S.). I primarily grew up in Woodland Park, CO. Following living in Woodland, I lived in Durango, CO, Farmington, NM, Houston, TX, Philadelphia, PA, Atlanta, GA and currently live in Montrose, CO (hopefully for good). I thankfully found my way back to Colorado. We live near Colona, in the shadow of Buckhorn Mountain (west/central Colorado) and absolutely love this place! It is remote, uncluttered, quiet, peaceful and beautiful. The inspiration I feel in my heart here is something I’ll be forever grateful for. It makes my soul sing! I love to ski and am glad I live near some great places. Telluride, Crested Butte, Aspen, etc ... when money allows. On February 12, 2017 I was in a ski accident in Telluride. Someone hit me from behind and knocked me unconscious for a few minutes (yes, I was wearing a helmet) and broke my collar bone. The guy hit me and left me for dead. He still has yet to be found. It's considered a felony to hit and run, just like in a car. Consequently, I suffered a concussion that has changed my life forever. My creativity has changed. Something happened to my eyes and I have a hard time doing the tiny details I used to do. But something also clicked in terms of how I approach my art. The freedom of abstraction has helped me heal and cope. Not only from the accident but with so many areas of my life. I have learned what true forgiveness means (to give as well as receive). I have a new appreciation for how fragile our lives really are and just how quickly life can be taken from us. A lot of things can change in the blink of an eye! That moment created a complete paradigm shift in my life. Mostly for the better. I’m involved in an art mentoring program called Art Partners. I mentor a young boy (age 10). He created a piece that won first place in the student category of the Ouray Alpine Artist’s Holiday art show (nationwide) as well as 1st place in The Montrose Visual Arts Guild 2018 art show. I love the fact that I get to help shape this young man's creative future. He's my lil buddy. There is an old cabin (100+ yrs old) on the property where I live that I have turned into my art studio. It’s my retreat and sanctuary. While I'm in this cabin, creativity just bursts forth in a riot of paint and color! This, I believe, is my heavenly father working through me. I'm still not sure what the grand purpose is but I keep my mind and heart open. I'm expecting adventure because, really, there's no way to know what's next. Like I always say, "the point is not to live forever but to create something that does." Keywords: Bold, color full, yellow, stripes, purple, blue, abstract, color

Creator:

Oi Fortin

Creation Year:

2019

Dimensions:

Height: 22 in (55.88 cm)Width: 30 in (76.2 cm)

Medium:

Oil,Monotype,Paper

Movement & Style:

Abstract

Period:

21st Century