About

Forrest Powars: An Artistic Journey

Forrest Powars, born in Miami, Florida, is the son of Link and Susan Powars, and one of seven siblings. Growing up in a lively household presented challenges in ownership, spurring the young Forrest to claim his belongings through the realm of imagination, expressed with pencils and crayons.

His adventurous childhood in the proximity of the Everglades and the abundance of citrus fruit shaped his early years. Amid catching lizards, swimming in alligator-infested waters, and climbing trees, Forrest found solace in drawing extensive battle scenes, evolving from simple stick figures to intricate depictions of his beloved comic book characters.

Unbeknownst to him, Forrest was gradually becoming an artist. His sketches evolved into detailed drawings and paintings, often concealing characters in the background. A newfound passion for incorporating symbols, poetry, and figures emerged in his work, coupled with an interest in watercolor and ink mixtures.

In 2003, Forrest had the privilege of apprenticing under Chinese watercolor Master Feng Zheng in Radford, Virginia, learning innovative paint manipulation techniques. Inspired by Dr. Halide Salam, he embraced oil painting, blending the clash of oil and watercolor techniques into a distinctive style.

Forrest's artwork is characterized as 'painterly, colorful, vibrant, religious, and surreal.' Starting in 2005, he began incorporating three-dimensional elements into his oil and mixed-media paintings, introducing materials like wood, metal, keys, glass, and ceramics for added contrast and light effects.

A devout Christian, Forrest's art often reflects his faith in Jesus Christ, influenced by a transformative born-again experience in 2012. Themes of the heavenly realm, angels, demons, and spirituality permeate his work.

As of 2023, Forrest resides in Chesapeake, Virginia, with his family. He continues to create surreal landscapes, animals, figures, and commissioned pieces, occasionally exploring murals and sculptures.