BEN FORTUNA WATERCOLOR

BEN FORTUNA [AMERICAN, 20TH/21ST C. ], WATERCOLOR, H 26", W 39", "SOMETHING FISHY":Signed at the upper left. Ben Fortuna, 1919-2004. Mr. Fortuna was an artist and a designer with a wide range of experiences from which he drew his uniquely innovative creations. Mr. Fortuna received a Master of Arts degree in industrial design and studied for some time under the visual artist, John Carroll. During World War II he was part of the Engineering Corps, focusing on camouflage work. Later he became Vice-President of the American Precision Products Company where he was in charge of Styling and Product Design. He was also associated with Sidney Blumenthal & Co., Inc. as a stylist for all fabrics. In 1953, Mr. Fortuna began his own business as a consultant specializing in fabric and industrial design, color and architectural interiors. Mr. Fortuna drew upon his industrial design expertise and united it with his paintings (circa 1946-1980) which have been referred to as organized abstractions. Within his prolific body of work, geometric shapes, vibrant colors, and bold lettering co-mingle on the canvas graphically evoke emotions drawn from an excellent sense of design. Mr. Fortuna’s paintings have been displayed at the Museum of Art in Detroit, the Museum of Art in Chicago, and at the Butler Institute of Art, Youngstown, OH. Mr. Fortuna’s painting, "Le Hot Jazz", was featured in the article, "Each Painting Has Its Own Story" (Detroit Free Press, November 14, 1954), and his work, "