Experimentation at Work

Cover Artist Wess Foreman

by Maggie Bokobza

NORTHSHORE ARTIST Wess Foreman has been driven by a desire to create and experiment since he first started working as an artist over 18 years ago. “Early on, before I had developed a style of my own, I tried sticking to certain subject matters or color combinations or techniques, but all of that came across [to me] as artificial and forced,” he explains, describing the evolution toward what has now become his signature style. His application of water to an acrylic composition creates a unique quality to his work.

Speaking of this evolution, Foreman describes it more like how one develops their handwriting style, something that comes from practice, the end result of his “mechanical tendencies and limitations” working in concert with how his brain is perceiving the image he is working from. “I continued to approach each painting as a new experiment, building upon all my previous experiments, iterating this ‘handwriting style’ all along the way. But it’s never a set thing—I am always creating new experiments. My style drifts along with me.” >>

Though he does dabble in other mediums, such as watercolor or pen and ink, Foreman is most often drawn to working with acrylic paints. This is, in part, because it gives him the flexibility to try out new techniques. He says, “It helps that there is a low bar of entry for acrylics, and it is a very forgiving medium.” This allows for plenty of experimentation.

It’s this desire to continue testing and pushing the limits of his style that influence Foreman to create new works. “It feels like cheating, but true, to say that it’s the art itself that motivates and influences me to improve upon certain techniques and to try out new ideas on canvas,” he explains. When he studies the works of other artists, he is very often drawn to particular elements of the work rather than the composition as a whole, considering how these choices affect the overall impression of the piece. “An example of this,” he explains to illustrate, “would be how Van Gogh’s brushstrokes, when working in concert, become a mesmerizing texture on the canvas surface.”

When it comes to his own work, Foreman enjoys the spontaneity of testing new ideas and techniques. “I sometimes stumble upon a technique that delights me,” he says, which makes him eager to practice and improve upon it again and again.

The same can also be said for his subject matter. When Foreman is not reaching into his ever-growing folder of interesting reference images, he will often turn back to subject matter he has done before, with the aim of improving or altering it slightly for a different effect. While he does cover the classic Louisiana imagery of local wildlife and New Orleans city scenes, he really enjoys the variety of subjects that comes from his commission clients and other avenues. For example, he says, “My wife works at the Animal Health Clinic in Covington, so I tend to keep a constant ‘supply’ of pet portraits in my repertoire.” No matter where his reference image originates, Foreman is always working to capture the subject in his own way.

He also enjoys sharing his works-in-progress through social media. As a hobby, he runs a YouTube channel where he shares his process and is able to connect with new audiences. “I’m painting already and watching other artists and makers create things online, so why not upload my own attempts?” he says about his decision to start the page six years ago. Though he is playfully disparaging about his abilities as a content creator (lighting specialist/director), he says “it is motivating to see the positive comments people leave, especially if they are helping someone else get started with their own painting attempts.”

As the world of art markets has begun to reopen this year, Foreman has been getting back into the swing of things. “The art markets [in New Orleans as well as several on the northshore] are a fantastic outlet for direct contact with potential buyers and art fans in general. Sometimes I catch a smile on a person’s face as they peruse my rack of prints; I ask them what caught their eye, and this leads to an interesting discussion of a specific painting technique utilized—or a conversation about calico cats (equally likely).” And while he does hope to one day find a more permanent place to display and sell his paintings, he does believe that he will always stay involved in local art markets for the connection and community they bring.

You can find Wess Foreman’s work on his website, wessforeman.com, and on Instagram (@wessforeman), Facebook (WessForeman.artist) and YouTube (Wess Foreman). Email him about custom commission works at wess@wessforeman.com.