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The first person to help me was George Fuermann. I was in trouble, and he gave me a place to stay in the country. George was the editorial director for the Houston Post. The way I met him, [I was] going into old houses looking for stuff to make art from and I found some material—old tax rolls—from the city of Houston and since he was a Houston historian it was very interesting [to him]. It had some of the early founders paying their taxes in pigs and cows and things like that. And he jumped right on that. Art-wise Lollie Jackson certainly helped me, and Lollie’s daughter Elizabeth, and Laura…let’s see, Bill Hill was very supportive—very supportive.
I was in so much trouble. I had nowhere to go and I was really in fear [for] my life, so I turned to God. There was no place else to go and since I had had such a horrible childhood (my mother had such a miserable life), the pressure got so much that I finally got on my knees and asked God to please forgive me and please save me. And that’s when everything started happening. So after the other artwork got sold I was living in a little garage apartment without any front door—just a blanket over the door—and I was asking God why the world was so screwed up and why everybody was so messed up. Nothing was going right; everybody hated each other. Nobody got along. I started reading books, health books, and it all was making sense. Then somebody came by with [this book]that was the teachings of Jesus from the Dead Sea Scrolls, stating how the body was made to grow on natural food and that anything else would destroy you. So then I really got after it and started doing carrot juice and just eating raw foods…and started making crosses and small crosses. [How I decided to use the mirror] was just given to me. It was like everything was dark that I had done before, and the mirror gave light. It was the only medium that gave light. I’d seen all these great paintings with light in them but it just wasn’t the same. So I started using the mirror and it just kept going. It was just very naïve, I guess that’s the word, and it just kept getting better and better and my prices kept getting better and now I feel guilty I get so much for it.
Forrest Prince was interviewed on June 13, 2006. You can listen to the interview here .
Born Houston, Texas
Caught stealing. Mother moved to TB Hospital. Shipped out to relatives and then foster homes. Alcoholic father.
Ran away from foster home
Quit school—dishwasher, busboy, 1 juvenile arrest with 2-time ex-convict, released to father
USMC—honorable discharge—2 weeks in brig for leaving post, Sex Addict on speed
Attempted suicide—overdosed on Sleeping Pills
Club business—Sebastian’s Club and Rembrandt’s Paint Factory—topless joints
Began seeking God and doing artwork
Slipped—sex, drugs, and rock and roll
One person Show—Contemporary Arts Museum Group Show
Group show—Houston Museum of Modern Art
Founded “Praise God Foundation”
Larry Pfeffer Grant $7,500.00 PRAISE GOD!
Group show—Transco
Museum of Fine Arts Commission for sculpture from Alison Greene (She wanted the large mirrored heart with love embedded in it, The deal fell through when the donor T.C. backed out saying I wanted too much and since the museum was not about to spend their cash on a local artist it was all over. But, Praise God! Bill Hill came by and snapped it right up. What an eye, what a guy.)
House sitter, animal companion, chauffeur, gofer, and artist in residence for Sweet Lollie Jackson
Rejected—Lawndale Big Show
Rejected—Lawndale Big Show
I feel wonderful Praise God!
Group show—Big Lawndale Show
The Menil Collection acquired the Big Heart through a gift from Bill Hill, God bless him and Praise God!70 years old and I have never felt better in my life. Owe it all to a loving and merciful Creator and a raw food diet as taught by Jesus in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
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