Christabel Forbes

Christabel Forbes is a colourist who explores the powerful interaction between people and places. Her individual treatment of landscape is unmistakably her own. Born in 1991 in Courbevoie, outside Paris, the now London-based artist creates purely through observational drawings. She later transforms these works relating to her surroundings with liberal mark-making and imaginative colour play to evoke people and places.

Christabel Forbes’ Practice

Christabel trained at The Royal Drawing School after achieving a BA in Fine Art at Falmouth University. Christabel is also a teacher. In her work, as in her teaching, she tries to maintain a level of playfulness and spontaneity. The artist has a strong interest in reality and imagination and subsequently uses her art to re-imagine everyday scenes, curating new, expressionistic spaces full of life and colour.

Career and Awards

Christabel has established a portfolio of residencies and teaching experiences in the UK and abroad. Her works feature in private and public collections such as in The Royal Collection and Sir Michael Moritz's Heyman Foundation. She was also awarded the Wedlake Bell Award for Young Artist at the Chelsea Art Show (2018).