Forever and Ever. 

"Forever and Ever" is a late 20th-century painting by Dave Macdowell, made with a mix of acrylics on canvas. Macdowell applies the paint with varying degrees of opacity, in some parts using thick impasto, in others blending the colours delicately to produce a smoother finish. His process is all about creating illusory space. Notice how the background is treated with flat geometric precision, while the figures appear to project forward. The artist engages with traditions of skilled painting, while at the same time referencing popular cinema. This tension between the unique hand of the artist and mass-produced culture gives the work its particular character, and encourages us to think about the place of the handmade within a world of mechanical reproduction. Consider how the processes and materiality of "Forever and Ever" influence its appearance, imbuing it with social and cultural significance, and challenging the traditional distinction between fine art and craft.