Local Artist

Dorise Ford - Figurative and Mixed Media

I have been drawing the human form since 1962. My interest in drawing began in high school with the encouragement of one particular teacher, an artist, who still paints daily in his studio at the age of 90, and to whom I will always be grateful.

I spent several years at San Francisco's Fort Mason in a supportive environment of artists who shared an interest in figurative arts. Diverting occasionally to explore other subjects, I always return to drawing from life. Those of who us who draw from life share an unique arena, filled with as many visions as there are people in that group. I consider drawing an exercise of discipline, a spontaneous and joyous activity that takes me away from the distractions of daily life an transports me to an inward, timeless space. In drawing I find the quietness that I feel when swimming laps or practicing Tai Chi, a meditative quality that balances the demands of life. These acts that express body awareness, space and balance fulfill the creative drive within me.

Life has ways of diverting us from our passions; but true passion has a way of winning out against all odds, and for that I am thankful.

I draw, paint, sculpt, etch women and occasionally men. The women I draw are not wimpy women, pieces of fluff, who are in danger of being blown away by the next strong wind. They are women of substance with luscious curves, soft folds and creases. They are joyous and full of life with an inner dignity, humor, and strength. I feel strongly that the figure is the perfect and glorious no matter what age, size, shape, sex or condition. Our bodies are maps of our lives and we should carry them with love and awe. They are incredible machines that allow us to move about this earth. Rather than obsess about someone else's idea of what is perfect, ponder what a bore it would be if we all looked alike! My education includes the Fort Mason Community College and the San Francisco Art Institute as a youth. I was a founding member of the Fort Mason Sculptors.

Here is what Barbara Bassett of Arts and Entertainment Magazine has to say about my drawings: "In fresh, sensitive line drawings and earthy, witty sculptures, Dorise Ford's work displays two major motifs, humor and generosity. There is an exuberant generosity of shape and space in her line drawings: the subject is often a generously-endowed woman with an obvious Joie de vivre. Her line informs, intrigues, reveals, suggests, always involving the viewer in a joyful relationship with the text. Her use of color is restrained, but explicit. Using an economy of line, she brings to life a variety of characters in diverse moods. Each distinct personality seems to reflect some immediately recognizable inner vision."

In recent years I have diverted to explore mixed media, collage/ assemblage, as well as photography.

Contact Information: Dorise Ford PO Box 285 Gualala, CA 95445 Email: doriseford@gmail.com Phone: 707-495-0812

© copyright 2010 - all rights to the images are retained by the artist