Exhibition: March 12 - April 17, 2027

Opening Reception: Friday, March 12th from 6-8 PM

Admission: FREE

The James Library & Center for the Arts is pleased to present Passages, a solo painting exhibition by Massachusetts artist Ron Fortier in the Concert Hall.

Fortier, a painter who resides in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, creates images of looking, remembrance, and questioning that do not adhere to a single narrative. His work primarily focuses on a passage of time: capturing the uncertainty, the loss, and the hope that travel alongside a lifelong search for meaning. Fortier’s work explores the essence of the restless sea, shaped by history, literature, and memory, leaving more questions than answers in its wake.

“They are explorations of passage: through time, through uncertainty, through loss, and through hope”, says Fortier. “Each painting begins with questions rather than answers. What remains after a voyage ends? How do memory and imagination shape our understanding of the past? What continues long after voices fall silent or ships disappear beyond the horizon?”

Originally born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Ron Fortier moved to New York City in his childhood, where he was exposed to art, music, and cultural traditions of his Portuguese mother and French-Canadian father; all of which continue to inspire his work. His early work includes working as a set designer for Boris Goldovsky of the Metropolitan Opera, which later led to a long career in advertising that developed a sensitivity to the power of the image.

After retiring, Fortier was able to dive fully into his career as a painter. Once he relocated to Portugal, he was able to fully immerse himself in his mother’s heritage, where he was able to establish a studio that exhibited his work throughout Europe.

Ron Fortier studied art at Southeastern Massachusetts University and holds an M.F.A. from the University of Miami.