Resident Artists

Ben Fortunado Marcune

If there is one constant in Ben Marcune’s career, it’s an appreciation for the figure. His understanding of the human shape has served him well over the years, first as an engineer, then as a professional dancer and now as a prospering artist.

“Medical anatomy and artistic anatomy are two sides of the same coin,” he says.

A longtime artist who has only been pursuing his passion full-time for the past decade, Ben was born and raised in Brooklyn and attended UCLA, where he earned his master’s degree in human factors engineering. After graduating from college, he embarked on a successful career as a biomedical and industrial engineer, developing several of the surgical and orthopedic devices used today.

While in his 20s, Ben worked as a professional dancer, performing in California and with the Philadelphia Civic Ballet. In 1972, he moved to Pennsylvania where he served as a research scientist, first for the University of Pennsylvania and then at Lehigh University. It wasn’t until age 40; however, that he decided to pursue his interest in art and enrolled at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

“I love plein air painting, where you go out and confront nature,” he says. “When I went to Pennsylvania Academy, I was very much influenced by the Pennsylvania Impressionists, (Edward) Redfield and (Walter Emerson) Baum and Daniel Garber.”

A member of the three-person committee that selected the initial artists for the Banana Factory, Ben opened his own studio at the building because he thought the idea of a community art center was a wonderful concept.

Today Ben is one of the region’s most sought-after artists, both for his portrait work and his sculpture. His commissioned pieces have included portraits of soprano Denyce Graves, former and current mayors, area CEOs and university presidents, as well as sculptures such as the Three Children at the Bethlehem Municipal Plaza, The Steelworkers Memorial in Bethlehem and the Korean Vietnam Memorial at the United States Armed Forces Plaza. He is currently in the middle of a three-year project in which he is creating five large-scale sculptures for DeSales University.

Artist Statement

“I felt that this was really a marvelous thing for our South Side and the whole community – having a community art center where people could engage the artists and see how they work, so it’s not a mystery just seeing the paintings. You can see the process, which is vital, plus it’s very important for the younger artists to have access to senior artists who teach and guide.”

-Ben Fortunado Marcune