Jorge Leyva is a renowned painter, sculptor, and instigator of great art happenings. Originally from Peru, he currently resides in Joplin and has work in collections all over the world. He is a connector, a man who believes in doing whatever can be done to bring artists together and promote the arts in the community and the world at large.
I’ve posted a thing or two about Jorge in the past, and if you follow 9art, you’ve probably already seen these pictures. But you know, that was BEFORE ‘Joplinite of the week’… and if anyone is both kind enough and has a big enough personality to be featured, it’s THIS guy…
The above shot is probably my favorite. I wanted something that conveyed his artistry, of course, but more than that, his sweet, goofy, and passionate personality. So I set up this shot in his studio… the ‘bear scene’ tapestry he had hanging was very appreciated for its’ tongue-in-cheek nature. I brought in the painting (which Jorge did, of course). Then I spied the monster truck in the hallway.
‘Jorge.’ I said. ‘why is this monster truck here?’
‘Because.’ He replied. ‘I love it!’
It’s just what the photo needed…
If you live in Joplin, you might recognize the following shot, from the new visitors’ guide that was released a few weeks ago.
IF you’d like to find out more about Jorge- AND see more pictures of him- I’ll actually refer you to a fascinating interview conducted by my good friend Lance, from his ‘sitting at the feet of’ series.
You can take a look at that interview, HERE.
You can go straight to Jorge’s website to view his work, here.
Til next time!
-Mark
J O P L I N I T E of the week 
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J o p l i n i t e of the week, renowned artist Jorge Leyva!