Rising Artist: LeftyJoe

Why do anything if you don’t have a passion for it?

LeftyJoe Torres has been apart of the LA art scene for over a decade. In that time span he has risen up to be one of LA’s premiere artists. But it wasn’t always a road that was as smooth as a paint stroke. Like many artists, he had to pay his dues and deal with the lowest of lows. Yet, driven by the passion for his craft, he has been able to create a name for himself in the diverse LA art world.

photo credit: http://www.facebook.com/imdjpdot

“I was in the womb drawing,” says LeftyJoe. “I grew up in a creative family. So I would draw all the time. I wouldn’t pay attention in class, I would just draw. That’s how I passed most of my classes really. I would draw a really cool graphic and it would get me a passing grade.”

During college, LeftyJoe hit a bump in the road that would help shape himself as a person and the artist he is today.

“I was diagnosed with testicular cancer and that’s part of the reason why my name is Lefty. It was my left testicle and my friends just started to call me that. It just stuck. So I just kept it.”

photo credit http://leftyjoe.blogspot.com/

While in college, LeftyJoe worked at the LA Zoo as a caricature artist.  Impressed by his work, many customers would hire him to work private events while some offered him positions for various companies.

“I’ve been doing the caricature business since 2001. It has become my main source of income and it has given me so many opportunities. I’ve worked with the Wayans Brothers and have done many freelance gigs.”

Today, LeftyJoe works with a company named Natures Mistake where he designs artwork for clothing and has projects with Warner Brothers and Vitamin Water. For the past month he has had galleries showcasing his work and has recently started to do live body painting shows. LeftyJoe credits his success to his dedication and passion for his work.

photo credit http://www.facebook.com/leftyjoe

“I busted my ass for everything I did. Why do anything if you don’t have a passion for it?”

To learn more about LeftyJoe’s art work visit his blog at: http://leftyjoe.blogspot.com/ and naturesmistake.net

photo credits: http://www.facebook.com/leftyjoe

-Joanna