Elizabeth Forrest was born in Vancouver, raised in Montréal and Toronto. She studied

Japanese woodblock in Kyoto, Japan and lived, worked and exhibited in Japan from 1988- 99.

After living in Toronto since 1999, she recently relocated to Waterloo, Ontario.

 

Education    

Kyoto Seika University, Japan, research student in Japanese woodblock 1988-89

Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto,  Honours & Forsyth Scholarship    

Glendon College, York University  B.A. English 

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Solo Exhibitions (selected)

Gerrard Art Space,  Toronto,  2022,  2019, 2017, 2016

Stuart Jackson Gallery, Toronto, 2014

Open Studio, George Gilmour Members’ Gallery, 2013, 2011, 2005

Montreal, L’Espace 234, 2002

Toronto, Open Studio Main Gallery, Toronto 1997, Director, Robert Achtemichuk

Osaka, Japan, Gallery Haku, 1998, 1996

Kyoto, Japan Gallery Beni 1991, 1993

Geraldine Davis Gallery, Matrix of Invention, solo exhibition 1987

Ottawa, SAW Gallery, Matrix of Invention, 1986

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Selected Group exhibitions

London Ontario, TOMPE Miniature Print Exhibition  August 2024

Kitchener, Walter Fedy, Grand River Artist Collective selection (3 works) for art rental exhibition 2024, 2022, 2019

Echizen, Japan. Work selected for International Mokuhanga Conference exhibition April 2024          

Ottawa School of Art, Miniature Print Competition, 2023        

Toronto, online juried Print Exhibition, John B Aird Gallery 2023, 2023

Button Factory PRESS Exhibition, 2021 HM

Open Studio, Murmuration, Members Exhibition 2021

Centre in the Square, Kitchener juried selection for art rental program, 2020, 2019

Button Factory Arts, Waterloo, Ontario, 25th Anniversary Exhibition, curated by Ernest Daetwyler 2019

Walter Fedy, Kitchener, Bonds and Sutures Exhibition, curated by Zana Kozomora 2019

Print London, There will be fire.., curated by Ron Benner 2019

Gerrard Art Space, Re-Visions, Solo Exhibition. 2019

Button Factory Arts, Press, juried Printmaking exhibition,"Best Print", Waterloo, 2019

Center for Contemporary Prints, 12th Biennial International Miniature Print Exhibition 2019.

Capital One, Women and Abstraction in Printmaking, 2018 Curated by Tracey Capes

John B. Aird 2018 Drawing Show

International Mokuhanga Exhibition, Honolulu, Hawaii 2017

Print London, juried exhibition, 2017

Print 2016, John B. Aird Gallery 2016

Editions 2016, Open Studio, Toronto

Print 2015, John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto (juried)

Open Studio's 45th Anniversary Exhibition

CWAJ International 60th Anniversary Travelling Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan and Cape Cod, USA

Editions Juried Show, Open Studio, 2015, Toronto

International Mokuhanga Juried Exhibition, 2014, Honorable Mention Prize, Tokyo

Tokyo, Canadian Embassy, Prince Takamado Gallery, 2014

Stuart Jackson Gallery, Toronto, Elizabeth Forrest: Colour Woodcut Prints solo exhibition 2014

O.W.N. group exhibiton at Open Studio. An "occurrence" created by Richard Sewell  2014

Harbourfront Vitrines, Continuum, curated by Patrick Macaulay 2014

The John Aird Gallery, Toronto, The Print Show juried print competition, 2013

Sydney -Toronto Print Exchange: Borderless and Boundless, travelling. 2013

Minneapolis, MA, USA University of Minnesota, A sense of place in Artist’s Books, 2012-2013

Toronto, Canada. Pearson Airport, Malton Art Gallery Nature and the City juried exhibition,  2012

Kyoto Japan, Dialogue and Dialect Juried Exhibition,  International Mokuhanga Conference, 2011

Toronto, 40 Prints juried exhibiton,  Printopolis, Open Studio 2010

Toronto, Japan Foundation, WATER WOOD PAPER:Mokuhanga Contemporary International ..group exhibition 2008

Pointe Claire, Quebec, Stewart Hall: Canadian Woodblock Prints 2008

Toronto.  Harbourfront Case Studies, Modern Myths  2005

Montreal & Australia, ARPIM, Miniare Bienniale, 2002 travelled to Manly Art Gallery, 2004

Montreal.  L’Espace 234, Montreal   2002    

University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Lethbridge 1999                

Gallery Haku, Osaka, Japan 1998, 1996

 

Awards

Shodo Canada, (Japanese Calligraphy), Honourable Mention. 2023

City of Waterloo, Design selected for Sunview Park and Hemlock Parks shade and barrier elements

Waterloo Region  2022

International Mokuhanga Exhibition Purchase Award, Government of Hawaii

International Mokuhanga Juried Exhibition, 2014, Honourable Mention

Ontario Arts Council International Residency grant, 2010

Canada Council Visual Arts and Media grant for JUN/KEN ARTS  Collective,  2008

Ontario Arts Council Grant for Visual and Media Arts Organization, 2008

Canada Council Travel Grant (for solo exhibition, Japan >Toronto) 1997

Canada Council Short Term and Travel Grant (for woodblock research, Japan) 1988

 

Curator 

Printopolis, Open Studio  Beyond Mokuhanga, Japanese Paper Place Gallery 2010

WATER/WOOD/PAPER:Mokuhanga, Japan Foundation of Toronto 2008

 

Art Educator

Button Factory Arts, online courses Pochoir, Elements of Design 2020,2021

Button Factory Arts, mokuhanga workshops, 2019, 2020

Open Studio mokuhanga workshops, 2015, 2017

Gerrard Art Space mokuhanga workshops, 2015 through 2019

Bishop's University, Quebec mokuhanga workshop 2014

Workshop Mokuhanga – independent teacher of mokuhanga Winter and Summer studio courses

Artists in Education, Ontario Arts Council  2010 – 11  high school mokuhanga classes

Toronto District Board of Education, permanent part time teacher, ESL and Visual Arts 2001 - 2011

Ontario College of Art, Printmaking instructor, part & full time September 1978 - April 8    

 

Publications, Presentations and Catalogues

Japanese Woodcut by Carol Wilhide Justin, Crosswood Press, UK 2024

 Ottawa School of Art Miniature Print Competition 2023

Shodo Canada, Annual Competition, 2023          

John B. Aird, Toronto Print Exhibition online catalogue 2023

Print London, TOMPE Catalogues, 2017, 2020, 2024

Presentation: W. J. Phillips: Early Canadian Mokuhanga Artist,  IMC 2014

Japanese Woodblock Printing by Rebecca Salter, Thames Publisher, reprinted 2014

Mokuhanga: A Beginner’s Manual, self published,  2012

Collections Canada, Livres d’Artistes (online catalogue) 2010

The Woodcut Artist’s Handbook, by George Walker, Firefly Press, 2005, p 135

CWAJ  Annual Print Competition, Tokyo, Exhibition Catalogs 1991, ‘94, ‘96, ‘97, ‘97, ‘98. 

Kyoto Shimbun  2/2/97 feature article - Elizabeth Forrest 

The Yomiuri Shimbun  24/4/96 re Gallery Haku solo exhibition

The Daily Yomiuri  9/10/96 re Gallery Haku solo exhibition

Reader, Lover of Books Exhibition Catalogue, North York Public Library 1981

 

Affiliations

Grand River Artist Collective, Member and Advisor, Kitchener, Ontario

Button Factory Arts, Waterloo

Open Studio Member,  Toronto, Open Studio Gallery

Gerrard Art Space, gallery member

 

Travel and Residencies

2019 London, England

2017 Crete, Greece

2015 Sparkbox, Picton Ontario

2013 Grates  Cove, Newfoundland

2001, 03, 05, 06, 07, 12 Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts, studio rental 

2012  Draw International Residency, Caylus, France

1999  Tokugenji Intaglio Workshop, Nara, Japan. Drypoint and chine colle 

1991, 92  Awagami Kaikan, Shikoku, Japan papermaking facility    

1984   Italy. Travel and informal research Medieval and Renaissance art  

1980   University of Illinois, Normal. Invitational lithography workshop and print portfolio  

1980   Cranbrook Institute, Gros Point, Michigan. Print workshops and conference 

1978   Atelier 17, Paris 

 

Collections

Robert Bolick Collection. Moderator of Books on Books online forum

Hawaii State Foundation Culture and the Arts

Toronto Public Libarary, Special Collection

The Reiki Centre, Toronto,

The Bank of Montreal

University of Lethbridge Museum of Art, Alberta, Canada

Union Bank of Switzerland            

Banque Nationale du Canada                                  

National Library of Canada            

Italian Cultural Institute, Kyoto            

University of Alberta Private Press Collection            

Royal Bank of Canada

Bank of Montreal    

Queen's University Douglas Library

North York Public Library Canadiana  Collection