![]() About Samuel Formica
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F O R M I C A
Samuel Formica (b. 1964, Chester County) is a self-taught painter who lives in Philadelphia, PA. His personal history is equally as complex and triumphant as his paintings. Growing up in poverty in a trailor park in Elverson, PA, a farm town near Reading, Formica loved to draw, but he never considered that becoming an artist was a possibility. As a teenager he became addicted to drugs and found himself homeless, living out of a van, yet even when he was at his most strung-out, he never stopped drawing. Formica's work has become highly collectible, as he paints only two to three new pieces per year. Dense with allusion and vibrant colors, his paintings have been lauded by US presidents, including Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Gerald Ford, for their vigorous depiction of the history of America. “A wonderful portrayal of American history ,” said President George H. W. Bush, and Frank R. Wolf, Member of Congress, House of Representatives stated, “truly an original with phenomenal meaning.” In 2005, Formica was commissioned by Stephen Patron, President and CEO of Paradigm Realty Alliance, to do a painting celebrating historic Elfreth's Alley , the oldest residential street in the nation located in Old City, Philadelphia. Looking to the Future, Formica's 2003 painting chronicles more than one hundred scenes of historical triumphs and tragedies. It took him three years to complete . His early work included pictograms, op-art, and neo-graffiti on canvas and was often considered symbolic and gritty. Formica's diversity as an artist is apparent in more than his paintings. In addition to his visual art, he is an award-winning Elvis impersonator, known to his fans as Sammy J . At the age of 18, when Formica was a private in the Army, he began performing Elvis impersonations for his fellow troops at Fort Benning, GA. One of the fastest rising Elvis tribute artists in the world, he has appeared on TV, international stages, and has been photographed for Fortune Magazine. Statement
I aim to create paintings that contain so much thought and passion in every stroke that they cannot be seen in a single glance. With my mother's motto in mind, “If you paint from the heart you will reach the heart,” I pour my soul like paint into the canvas in an attempt to understand my past, present, and the world around me. Currently ![]() 215-800-8026 ![]() ![]()
American History Magazine
George W. Bush
George Bush Sr.
William Jefferson Clinton
Jimmy Carter
Gerald R. Ford
Nancy Reagan
Jeb Bush
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Ed Rendell
John Street
Frank R. Wolf
Frank Dicicco
Frank Rizzo
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Donald Trump
Sam Katz
Jerry Blavat
Jane Homlish
Stephen A. Patron
Ralph Archbold
Joseph Mangold
Jay Harry Hoffman, D.D.S. Publications Collectors
F O R M I C A
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"You will run into cleverness now and again...like Samuel Formica's painting Help Our Mother Is Being Raped."
Edward J. Sozanski, The Philadelphia Inquirer ![]() I am proud to be included in the new book "Contemporary Painters" by Nela Books You can pre order the book on Amazon by visting the link below. ![]() ![]() ![]()
Formica's " La Quattro Stagione del Vino" on loan to the SAP Americas Corporation 2013
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