Robie Benve Art

"Still Covered" 8"x10" Oil on panel Available On my Thursday class at the Cultural Arts Center the instructor, Brent Payne, set-up a still life for those that wanted to accept the challenge and give it a try. I loved the idea, and I painted it in a couple of hours. The relative speed kept it painterly and impressionistic, and I like that.

"Three Apples" 6"x6" oil on panel SOLD Painted from life in about a couple of hours during my Thursday morning class at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center. The instructor, Brent Payne, challenges us with still life set-ups or live models every week. I kind of need that extra encouragement to paint from observation. Very different than painting from photo. A great exercise, somehow similar to painting a landscape en plein air. The original was only  6"x6", but you can now order prints up to 24'x24' on Imagekind. Click here to see available sizes and cost.

"Sun & Snow" 9"x12" Oil on panel Sold I've had  this reference photo for a while, and always wanted to paint it, but I was always afraid of the challenging subject. Snow is not easy to paint, and all those trees can surely risk to look naive once painted. I've been pulling up the photo to paint it, only to postpone it for a while, each time. I finally found the courage, and here is is. For better or for worse: Sun and Snow. And I have to admit, I am pretty happy with how it turned out. I tried to use no pure white to represent the snow, and made the trees impressionistic. I like it. : )  (Phewww)

"Path in the Golden Field" 5"x7" Oil on panel SOLD This small painting is based on a quick study that I did at Pickerington Park back in October. I painted this not looking at a photo of the actual park, but looking at the photo of the painting I did at the park. (hope this makes sense) That was fun! And, since the painting work had already been done, and decision about composition, color, value, and temperature already been made, it made the problem solving involved with each brushstroke much faster. Curious fact: the study was actually bigger than this painting. I realize now that I have not posted most of my fall plein air paintings. I'll try to do better in the next days. In the meanwhile January is almost over and I have only partially caught up with my 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. Still working on it, though. : ) Thanks for reading. Blessings to you and your loved ones!

"Love and Peace" 3"x3" acrylic on canvas, with mini easel Available at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center gift shop  A couple of small paintings that I did thinking of the celebration of love for Valentine's Day. All we need is love. : ) "My Heart Is Your Prisoner" 2"x2" acrylic on canvas, with mini easel Available at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center gift shop      

I have been trying to get painterly productive and catch up with the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. So far I have skipped painting on many days in January, but on the days that I was able to do it, I worked on more than one painting. Below are a couple of colorful little paintings that I did at the Cultural Arts Center last Thursday, with the goal of submitting them to the Gift Shop. One sold as soon as I had completed it, thanks to Jean, a fellow artist that saw me painting it and really liked it. "Joyful" 3"x3" acrylic on canvas, with mini easel SOLD "Love You to the Poppies and Beyond" 3"x3" acrylic on canvas, with mini easel Available at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center Gift Shop

The year has started with great excitement for me! I have been offered a studio space at the High Road Gallery and Studios in Worthington, OH, and last week I moved in! My studio space at High Road Gallery and Studios The High Road Gallery is in a charming 1818's house, owned and administered by artist Carol Hershey. Carol ran it as a non-profit art gallery for many years, and in 2014 she changed it to artist studios and gallery.  I am very happy to be sharing the building with several very talented artists. High Road Gallery Artists: Dianne Bauman Robie Benve Rachel and Ken Conner Michael Crapser Dede Dufresne Joyce Fisher Jim Glover Deb Haller Carol Hershey Marty Husted   Ruth Ann Mitchell Jeri Ellis Platt Cynthia Tinapple I am looking forward to working in the new space and interacting with the other artists. The gallery and studios are located at 12 E Stafford Ave, Worthington, OH and it's open to the public on Frida

One sunny and happy day in December I pledged to take the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge in January. I knew it was going to be hard to find the time, so I announced my decision on social media, knowing that publicly accepting the challenge would keep me accountable for actually working on it. Shortly after, I packed and went to Italy to visit family, wishfully bringing paints, brushes, and small canvases with me. I was going to start the year there, so I needed to start painting too. Well, can you believe that I did not paint one single square inch while on vacation? (Nor on the first days back!) Now I am back home, trying to catch up with life and with painting. I keep telling myself: the challenge says 30 paintings in 30 days, it does not necessarily mean one a day. I'm allowed to paint several in a week and catch up. I CAN DO IT! With these positive and hopeful thoughts I am looking toward the second half of January and getting mentally ready to paint several small p