For local abstract artist Anne Jensen, conversation is at the core of her art. She paints intuitively and, as she works, the canvas becomes a dialogue of expression.

Now that conversation is about to get bigger – since Jensen is joining Forum 6, a new artist collective and exhibition space focused on helping emerging Houston artists find their voice and explore unconventional new directions in their work.

The space will hold its first exhibition from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday April 8 – and the show will remain on display through the month at the space, located at studio #227 at 1824 Spring St. in Houston.

Founder and director Eduardo Portillo is an established artist in the city and one of Jensen’s colleagues.

“Sometimes artists need a little bit more of a conversation to keep developing their ideas,” he said. “I’m very intrigued by that. Most of the artists I know need a mutual place where they can focus a bit more and expand their ideas. This is what Forum 6 is trying to provide for them.”

For her part, Jensen said she appreciates the dialogue Eduardo encourages.

“I had been frustrated over what is going on in the community around me for a long time,” she said. “Everybody is talking about selling, but almost nobody is talking about art and what it means to them. Eduardo is different, he is interested in art, and he has meaning in what he does.”

Portillo hopes Forum 6 will become a space where artists explore the full scope and depth of their vision.

“We want to try as hard as possible to be a place for everyone to come and see new ideas — and to develop those ideas further,” he said. “We’re trying to push a bit more into the unconventional, to allow our artists explore the full idea of the work itself, wherever it needs to go, without boundaries. We want to be a platform for that.”

Portillo said that these conversations are a big part of how he selects which artists are invited to join Forum 6.

“We’ve tried to choose artists that have dialogue in their work somehow,” Portillo said. “As we go, we can keep building on that, making sure that there is space and context for conversation that can take the artists and the gallery somewhere new and refreshing.”

He sees Jensen as a natural fit for Forum 6. “I’ve seen Anne’s work and her commitment,” he said. “I’ve seen the progress of her work, and the way she goes about producing and discussing it.”

He hopes that her involvement with Forum 6 will be a milestone for her work.

“I think that there is a lot more that she wants to stay,” he said. “Hopefully, this is a chance for her to experiment more. That’s the goal of this, that this can be what changes everything for her. I think we will help her jump to the next level in her work and we’re very intrigued to see that happen.”

Portillo said Jensen is developing a whole new series for the show.

“The work that she’ll be showing is more adventurous for her,” he said. “You can see more of her process in it. The pieces will also have a different presence within the space.”

Her paintings will be pinned to the wall — not stretched on canvas — which will give it an added physicality.

Jensen said Forum 6 has already given her a real boost in her work. “I have stayed longer hours every day, and I’m trying new things which have been encouraged by Eduardo,” she said.

Portillo’s goal is that Jensen and other artists can grow and be noticed by a larger audience, and that the Houston art scene can grow with them.

“Some of these artists have been around for some time but have been overlooked,” he said. “Our program is here to kind of make sure that these artists and their careers become more present in the city. We will be an alternative space for artists to explore new ideas and to help the Houston art scene become more relevant. That’s the main goal.”

For more information about Anne Jensen, visit www.annejensenart.com.

For more information about Forum 6, visit forum6comtemporary.com.

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