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As the son of an Air Force serviceman stationed in a small Japanese
village, Ford's artistic sensibilities began to take root under the
nurturing eye of an elderly Japanese painter. After graduating from the
University of Mississippi with a BFA in painting, Ford moved to
Atlanta where he realized a natural talent in photography.During the
late 70's and 80's Ford established his reputation as Atlanta's
premier fashion photographer. The early 90's, however, brought a
compelling urge to return to painting. Ford took a hiatus from
photography to travel the world and seek inspiration. The intensity
of working over a single piece to finish it makes the process very
physical. He lets layers of paint acrylics on canvas drip and flow,
just letting things happen. I was taught in college to let the
paint find the imagery, he recalls. Still, there is less accident in
achieving these surfaces than one might think. They're a stuffy in
control and spontaneity, because while Ford may allow the materials
to find their own expression, he then moves to manipulate them to
achieve their unique composition and texture. Often, he'll embellish
the canvas with plaster granules scattered across the wet surface as
color and texture are forced to intersect.
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