”In The Clouds” 48x48" Hand Embellished Limited Edition on Canvas T 12

he expanse of a frozen seascape overcomes the senses as bitter cold winds chill the bones, reminding you that winter has arrived. A walk beneath gray skies, with the delicate sound of rowboats rocking in the breeze, triggers nostalgia. Josef Kote navigates you to a desolate place that becomes strangely familiar.

There is something romantically unique

about Kote’s style. His technique of swishing pallet knife to canvas creates scenes ranging from remote nautical landscapes,

to pure and pensive portraits of beautiful women. Kote has a way of blending modern abstraction with older disciplines — you can almost hear the classical music influence emitting from the scenery. It was not long before Kote discovered his passion. At the age of 14, he began his formal studies in fine art. Like most adolescents, he had many aspirations. For some, there aspirations may remain only a dream. However, Kote’s dreams became a reality.

“I had a natural inclination to the

arts from very early on...I was always drawing, painting, or doing something to express myself creatively. At 12 years old, I thought I wanted to study music, but very quickly it became clear that my passion was fine art.”

Many struggle to find their path in life, but

Kote has created his own unconventional path towards personal fulfillment, “Being creative is who I am, art is who I am, there is really nothing else for me. I’ve found a career I get lost in and there’s nothing better than that.”

OFF THE EASEL MAGAZINE – WINTER 2017