Well, the Web Site is coming along,, still not sure if its the direction i want to take, but i,m sure that once its up i,ll be happy,, you know ,you can,t teach an old dog new tricks, kind of thing, not sure about the watermarks and kind of like when i go into sites that the pics are clear and sharp, but here i am talking about something i know nothing about,need to make contact with nephew jim to get some professional advice and guidance, seems to be a lot of trouble,, and work, but am happy that i,m not the one that has to work this out,if you know what i mean,, any way my really good friend dave id working on it and i have complete faith in whatever it is he wishes to play with,,, if you know what i mean, now as fo my personal life, i am working on getting the isbn numbers together for the new york books so that i can get Leni to print another batch of them to take to key west with me and also be able to have some in new york so that if anyone there wants one they can pick it up on Carmine Street,, and now for the really important stuff in my life, noah is beautiful and not so friendly with me still , yet, steve and laura are playing great hockey, 5 games this weekend and i,m bummed cause i have to miss one because they both play the same night, but i will get to watch 2 games of each of them, not seeing enough of tyler and james cause i never know where they are,, and they have busy lives especially james,, and i really don,t get to see enough of my three daughters, again cause they have there own lives,, but like the web site its really not in my hands oh well i,m just an old man anyway that has nothing better to do with his time but moan and complain,,, love ya

What it Takes

One Hundred and Ten days, living in your van on the streets of New York, Showering at the ny recreation centre, and hopfully a staff that treats you like your a human being as well others you meet there that stimulate your intellect. Thank God for all those people that help you get through it."What it takes", 34 people wanting you to draw there homes and businesses, and then a few hundred people that actually, buy some of your art, so you can cover expenses, then theres having two books of your drawings published in between,the sunny days when you have to be drawing."What it Takes",the people that operate the shops where you have to do your work, the people at the bars and restaurants that hook you up so you can actually afford being there, You all know who you are, the pain of the body hauling that cart, the load on your mind about the reasons why or why not you should be doing any of it, what does it take, way too much to ever want anyone you love to be doing it, so why is it that when its all done and over theres this great satisfaction within yourself and this overwhelming thankfulness to so many people that you know love you for doing it that makes you want to do it all over again

I,d be amiss, if i didn,t write something of my Key West, adventures and friends, for sure ive been going down there in the winter, why wouldn,t I , for its always warm in winter there, and spending my days by the water , mornings at Blue Heaven, hanging out with the coolest of people, you all know who you are, the music on a constant daily live basis, and last winter two of my grand kids spent time with me, so any way i should be down there around Dec. 28th or Jan.4th of 2010, be there, or be here now

Well here i am, two years drift by like a breeze blowing through a bare tree, hardly noticable, but then a look at what ive been doing and where ive been and loooking in a mirror will tell you, time has past. New York has been really good, lots of drawings done, Two great books with 57 of my Greenwich Village drawings in each one ,have been published, many new friends, and a web site, all put together by the help of many great people.hope you take some time to check it out, and would love to hear from you with the do,s and the don,t of whats going on.

The New York Book is Done

I did it. The New York book is printed. Actually two books. I even have my website going. Check it out in the links.

Joes Key West 2007/1

This is the 1st of ten paintings that I did this winter in Key West. They were done at "Home Sweet Home", Paul Mentas house.He and Nick put up with the mess i create when i,m painting as well as the overwhelming smell of paint not to mention My Idio life style. See More at joefortesworld.com

News-Journal Center,Daytona Beach

What an addition to Daytona Beach, the art center.
I am so pleased to have three of my paintings hanging in the lobby, "A Fathers Blues" which is 5 feet x 6 feet, "Another Whatever" and "Looking For The Imposable, which are 3Feet x 5feet.
I would like to thank my Great niece Lise, and she is great, for the introductions, of Julie, Laura, Chad who where instrumental in the installation of these paintings, also Kyle who without they may not have gotten on the walls.