You probably won’t see Hollywood making a movie about George Forss and Donna Wynbrandt, which is a shame, it has every powerful element a classic love story could have. George met Donna decades ago in New York City, where he was peddling his photographs on Manhattan street corners and ducking the police, who routinely hauled him into court. Donna was a street person who loved the life of the homeless, you just have to be able to run fast, she said. When it got cold, she would get on a bus and go somewhere where it was warm.

The two of them made a creative connection immediately, she became the subject of many of his photographs, they completely got one another and supported one another, from then to now. Sometimes Donna would disappear for long stretches of time, George would track her down and bring her home. When George moved upstate Donna followed, she stabilized her life her life in time, the two are inseparable. Donna lives in her own apartment, George takes care of his brother Micky in his apartment above his gallery.

The two have a passion for encouragement, George supports Donna’s work as an an outside artist, she adores him and his photography. I take a portrait of them every now and then, their connection is always so clearly. I visited them in Donna’s apartment this afternoon – you have to take your shoes off in the hallway, they are spending the New Year’s holiday together. Donna  takes care of George when he is sick or in the hospital, George cares for her whenever she needs him. They are utterly trusting of one another and committed to each other.  A nice choice for my first portrait of 2014.