Robie Benve Art

"These Clouds Too Shall Pass" 8"x10" Oil on board Some days start as a nuisance from the beginning. You can just tell. The only way to survive and keep good things coming your way is to realize that no matter what, things are deemed to get better. The clouds are only temporary, the sun will shine again. Have faith. Think positive. Expect only the best to happen. Good times will come. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation,  by prayer and petition,  with thanksgiving,  present your requests to God.  Philippians 4:6 I painted this picture at a local park, specifically Walnut Woods Metro park, in Groveport, OH. It was a windy day, and the clouds kept coming and then moving out, just for more clouds to come. The light was changing quickly from sunny to cloudy, one of the typical challenges for plein air painters, you've got to learn to stick with the impression you want to render and avoid "chasing the light...

"Tuscan Bales" 20"x24" Acrylic on Canvas Hello, and happy winter everyone! I don't know how it is where you are, but here in Ohio snow falls, temperatures drop, and time flies in winter. I can't believe I haven't posted since the Holidays! Nevertheless, things have been happening and brushes have kept swishing even if I wasn't at the computer much, and did not post many updates - I actually did post some updates, but only on my facebook page. So here is one of my winter babies: Tuscan Bales . Working on this painting made my days feel a little warmer, and looking at it now makes me want to roll down that hill, and smell the hay, which is a great feeling, especially when I look our the window and I see only white, cold snow everywhere. Not much smell in the snow either. :D I had fun painting it, The challenge with Tuscan bales has been trying to create some texture and incorporate bright colors. I like the way it turned out!...

"The White House at the Corner" 6"x6" Oil on gesso board SOLD Two weeks ago there has been the 12th Annual Historic Dublin PaintOut, and I was one of the organizers. I knew that between setting up things and handling some of the registrations I wouldn't have much time to paint, so I thought a 6"x6" should be small enough for me to handle easily. However, I did not consider the possibility of my kids' piano recital being scheduled exactly on that day. But it happened. I only had a very short amount of time to pick a spot and start the painting. Then I had to leave for the recital. I planned to come back and finish later, but it started pouring, and the recital (wonderful by the way, they both did a great job!) ran longer than usual. So, I ended up not entering a painting into the competition that I had worked so hard putting together. Not even a tiny 6"x6". However, despite the weather, several of the participants were...

"House with a Smile" 9"x11" Oil on Board Available The day I was painting this scene it was gorgeous but very windy. I started with a brilliant blue sky. Then the clouds began coming in, big fluffy clouds, and soon covered all the sky, and the colors disappeared on me. I know that's part of the challenges of painting on location, the shifts of light and shadows, still, I hate when it happens. From a colorful sunny day, the scene became a dull cloudy landscape. I left the park with a very dull painting - I have a hard time painting differently from what I see. Good think I had made some thumbnail sketches, so I had a visual reminder of lights and shadows. Back in the studio I tweaked the colors and the light according to my memory and with the thumbnails as guide. At the end I think I made it even more colorful than how it was, but the little house seems happy about that. :)

"Brick House" 6"x6" Oil on Gesso board Available I tried to paint this house in the German Village in the spring but was not successful. I went back to Schiller Park this week, and tried again, this time on a smaller gesso board, and some miracle happened, because I quite liked the final result. :) Painting en plein air is lovely, I usually prefer natural landscape subjects, but mainly because buildings and structures are quite challenging to paint - for me. When I tried painting homes before I got this inner friction between my natural instinct to paint tightly, and the will to paint loosely, and often what comes out is none of the two. As we say in Italy the result "non e` ne' carne ne' pesce" (it's neither meat nor fish). lol This time I focused on the pattern of ligh and shadow, and I enjoyed painting it! :)