Saturday, October 5, 2013

meet Joe Forte (artiste extraordinaire)



 Joe Forte


I was doing street photography in the West Village (Manhattan) today and I came across a line of drawings on the sidewalk that caught my attention for their precision like pen strokes to replicate neighborhood structures.

The artist had a Santa Claus beard and a face with that weathered look that begs stories to be told. He told me that his art just came to him, not learned or copied or studied. It began when he was 3 years old. His older brother drew but both didn't inherit "artist genes" from the hard working parents.

It's a God-given gift and he's using it to please others and to satisfy his calling. What I found interesting was that the precision ink sketches which were the favorites of most who walked by were not his. his favorites were what looked like abstracts to me but which he titled "high realism spirit" paintings.

Check out the link I left above and then tell me if you aren't as amazed by his artistry as I was.

3 comments:

  1. This is not only a natural and published Artist, but also a great philosopher, an incredible poet also a great Hockey Man...a man that most of all Loves his family, appreciate his friends! , however he does struggle with two things....he is a little unclear of what the most important occupation on our planet! and he loves Chevy Vans! Thanks Joe for adding me to your long list of friends ! Peace!

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  2. Joe Forte is the most authentic and hard working artist I've had the pleasure of knowing. His work is peaceful and soothing like pure white light while inspiring swirls of color that are constantly in motion. And he's got some good stories too. Oh yeah, and impeccable taste in wine & music too.

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  3. Is this the artist Joe Forte that did the illustrations for the 1970 Barnell Loft Ltd "Portraits & Profiles" card-posters?

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