Local Man Shares Passion for the Outdoors Through Art

Though it has been two decades, one local man was able to combine his love of art with his love of the outdoors.

Brian Ford is an artist from Martinsburg that is a part of HBF Outdoors LLC. His work mainly focuses on the Huntingdon area, with some featured landmarks including Raystown Lake and Juniata River.

Art became a significant part of his life from a young age, he said.

"When I was a little kid, I would draw characters from the Sunday comics. By high school, I got my electives done early so I could focus on art my senior year."

After graduating, Ford went on to art school, but eventually dropped out for a variety of reasons. For the next 20 years, he stopped drawing.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic changed that. Ford's interest in art began to rekindle with support from his wife, Robin.

"I love watching him work. It really helps him," she said. "He will sit in the living room and work, only half listening to the television."

Though he prefers to do ink drawings, Ford also picked up painting along the way.

"My grandmother painted, so I tried my hand at it."

Since beginning art again, Ford has made many pieces that have been noticed by members of the county, even garnering attention that got him involved with local events.

Ford was asked by Standing Stone Coffee Company to be its featured artist for July's Art Walk Huntingdon. He said it was "humbling."

"It makes me feel good to know people like my art. It's very exciting when people want to see my work and when other artists show me their own"

For the event, Ford continued an ink drawing depicting the Thousand Steps trail in Huntingdon. He had started it a week prior, putting an approximate 15 hours into it.

While he loves art, it is the topics in his work that mean more to him.

"A lot of artists say they have a passion for art," said Ford. "For me, I like to say I have a passion for the outdoors. As artists, we love art, but the subjects are the passion."

Ford said when selling his art, he prefers to sell originals rather than creating prints. He said it was more important to him that people get unique work.

"They can look at it and say 'I have this painting or drawing no one else has,'" he said.

Ford's work is available on his website https://hbfoutdoors.weebly.com and can be viewed on Facebook at "Brian Ford Ink Art." Along with original pieces, stickers and notecards are also available. Those interested are also able to commission work from Ford.

Starting Aug. 2, Ford will have an exhibit featured at Homewood of Martinsburg, which will be there throughout the month.