Caroline Forward’s paintings are about constant change, ageing and loss in an environment; what is left behind, reformed or preserved over centuries.
Drawing on her fascination with coastal geology Caroline Forward explores the minutiae of detail on immense geological structures in her richly textured oil and cold wax paintings.

Interdependence of ocean and land

Caroline’s creative process mirrors geological formation as she builds layers, creates textures, makes and reveals marks and lines, creating a sense of history.
Particular coastlines have affected her deeply. She loves the North Norfolk coast with its shifting land, crumbling cliffs and history-rich shorelines. Caroline Forward has experienced, through visiting her daughter, the precious biodiversity and interdependence of ocean and land on jungle-lined shores of Costa Rica, and dramatic rock formations caused by erosion on the tiny island of Maio, Cape Verde.

Caroline Forward considers the shared fragilities, vulnerabilities, resilience, and elemental beauty of these local and global coasts, reflecting on the interconnectedness of time and place. She aims to encourage her audience to think about how we inhabit and impact our world, wanting them to feel and engage with the rich, ancient history we walk on.

Working in the Fens

Caroline Forward has lived in the Cambridgeshire Fens since 1987. She has painted all her life, and, alongside her art therapy practice, has managed her husband’s environmentally friendly furniture business for over 30 years. She exhibits regularly and is currently a full time artist. She continues to grapple with how to work more sustainably as a painter.

The value of individual actions

Caroline believes in the value of individual actions, however small, because when combined they have powerful impact. Groundwork Network would give her the opportunity to be part of a community which with its wide range of artists and environmental experts offers a larger, more diverse collaboration than she currently has.

http://www.carolineforward.co.uk