Looking at Maria Forde's drawings I was certain of one thing...I wanted to be her friend. Her show at Needles and Pens on Friday night consisted of a series of drawings with cut out bits of text bearing advice from each person pictured, such as, "Please recycle", and, "My mom says you should never buy a new car". Each sketch was simple, but beautifully rendered bearing each pencil mark and brush stroke. Her subjects engaged you in an old fashioned staring contest as they glared at you from off the paper. Each person's first name was carved out of the bottom portion of the frame as if knifed from the bark of a tree deep in the woods to seal some childhood pact. Maria’s plain subject matter, frank advice, and genuine drawing style gave true testament to the simple and modest midwestern mentality. There was nothing flashy, or fake about any aspect of Maria's show, and knowing that there is still a person who finds value in sharing and celebrating such simple truths is someone I want to be friends with.
You can see her drawings at Needles and Pens until April 26th.
Get to know Maria
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