Fort Guerin
Fort Guerin
Raised in Mesa, Arizona and a graduate of Northern Arizona University, Fort’s original direction was in sculpture, but like many other young artists he didn't have the resources at the time to continue with that path and began painting in 1996. A self-taught painter, he began painting in his home, defining his style through journaling and drawing inspiration from 1940’s and 50’s vintage western art and imagery. Although painting came quite naturally to him, Fort has been honest about his struggles with writing and how that played a role in developing his unique style.
“I would sit down and attempt to write stories, only to find that it was much harder than painting. I assumed that if I spent the same amount of time on my writing as I did with my painting, I would be able to develop my writing into something that would be bearable. Well that never happened, and I always felt guilty about taking time away from my painting. I finally arrived at a compromise of combining imagery with text. The images act as a springboard in developing a story. From a distance, the miniature text appears as lines in the background. However, as you approach the painting, you realize those lines are actually words and you are drawn in. The painting takes on a certain intimate quality. And the text ultimately becomes part of the aesthetic quality of the painting.”
Fort’s paintings have been exhibited in numerous galleries across the country including Scottsdale, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, Marfa, and traveling art shows in New York City, Santa Fe, and Beijing.
Fort has been featured in several art journals including New American Paintings, True West, and newspapers including Austin Chronicle.
In addition to his passion for art, Fort is committed to community service and is a volunteer Firefighter in West Virginia.
He and his wife split their time between their home in the Washington, DC area and their wooded cabin in West Virginia.
With his art studio looking out onto the Appalachian Mountains, Fort is able to paint, as well as fish and spend time with his wife and their many dogs.
