Robie Benve Art

"Clouds on Blue" 8"x10, Oil on board Sold How on Earth Do You Paint Clouds? I used to find clouds very challenging and intimidating to paint. Then, one day, in 2013, I jumped right in, during a painting workshop, I asked the teacher - Kim Casebeer, a very talented plein air painter - to help me paint clouds, she gave me one of the million photos she took of Kansas skies and lands and advised me to start from that. I started, I made mistakes, I corrected them, and I only asked her for advice a few times, but knowing I had her available if I got stuck made me braver, and I broke the ice with painting clouds. Well, technically, I had painted clouds before, but with effort and doubtful results. Look at me now: skyscapes are among my favorite subject! Between sunsets, sunrises, and cloudy skies, that's a big part of my body of work. This is the reference photo for the painting above. I took it at the soccer stadium while waiting for the Crew game to ...

"Heading South" 18"x24" oil on canvas, framed Available Several months ago my friend Rene Nitsche posted a beautiful sunset photo on facebook and I was immediately inspired to paint it. It took me a while, but here is the finished piece. I took some artistic liberty and added a flock of birds at the horizon. I think it adds a nice touch, and it also inspired the title. I love the warmth and the sense of serenity that comes out of this scene. : )     Blessings, Robie

"Free Spirit" 30"x48" Oil on Canvas SOLD I love skies paintings. After I started adding birds to the skies, I love them even more. This painting in particular has a lot of significance to me; I liked it so much that used it on my business cards and artist statement. Something about the many layers of meaning of a white dove flying with spread wings just captures me completely. I had it hanging at the opening reception at the High Road Gallery and Studios on Sunday, and I got a lot of great feedback about this painting in particular. To add to the happiness, I sold it! Free Spirit is going to a nice condo in Florida, home of a wonderful gentleman that I had the pleasure to meet last week. Now I am even more inspired to paint skies and birds! Feeling thankful. :) 

One wall of the Dinsmore & Shohl LLP  - Legal Counsel lobby with some of my sky paintings A few months back I was contacted by a representative of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP  - Legal Counsel . She had seen my work online and asked if I could exhibit in their lobby. I went to see the space and loved it. It's a beautiful and big lobby with a nice hanging system that can fit several big paintings.   13 of my paintings are now on view in that great space. I am really excited and proud that Dinsmore & Shohl has given me this great opportunity.   My work will be on view there until the end of the year. at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP  - Legal Counsel 191 West Nationwide Blvd Columbus, OH 43215

"Cloud Study with Mowed Field" Daily Painting Oil on panel, 9"x12" Here is another study of clouds, this time a little bigger (9"x12"). I kept the same palette of colors as the previous one, I figured if they came out well they'd look good next to each other. :) I made this a few days ago, then fell behind with the postings. I am also falling behind with the daily paintings, but I have this grand plan of catching up at some point this month.

"Cloud Study" 8"x10" Oil on panel SOLD It has been a busy week and I am behind already on my 30 in 30 challenge, but I couldn't help it. Sometimes a girl needs to sleep at least 7 hours a day! :) Today I made it to the easel and painted Cloud Study. I also made a time lapse video of the painting session. I haven't rendered it yet, but I'll post on my facebook page soon.

My second solo exhibit of sky paintings is currently up at the Northwood Artspace in Columbus, OH, it will be on show until August 15th. Last weekend I had the opening reception. That's me with my husband Enzo at the Summer Skies show. It was the Friday before the 4th of July, and I was afraid that with people out of town or attending events, I was going to be there only with my close family, but thankfully we had a good turnout. I am very grateful for the opportunity to show my work and for the friends and supporters that came to the opening. Robie Benve with Diane Efsic, artists and coordinator of Northwood Artspace exhibits. Most of them did not know it, but the day after was my birthday, and their presence has been a wonderful birthday gift. There are 20 oil paintings in the show, all representing skies, sunsets, or dawns of assorted sizes. The collection has been created in the last two years from my own photos and some from friends' vacation photos. I ...

I have said it already and I am saying it again, this last year has been amazing for me. I had several opportunities coming up unexpected, and I am very glad that my mind was open to accept the surprises and last minute change of plans. The last great thing that happened: they invited me to show my sky paintings at the Nothwood ARTSpace here in Columbus. Of course I said yes right away, and now I'm busy getting ready to hang in less than two weeks. SUMMER SKIES will be on show from July 1st to August 15th 3016. We are having a reception on Friday July 1st, 6-8 pm. The address is 2231 N High St. Columbus, OH ... just in case you were thinking of coming. :) This painting passion of mine has brought me into a wonderful and interesting journey. I am determined to enjoy the ride, feeling thankful for all the blessings, without letting panic and anxiety take over my heart and mind. Rejoice and be glad, it'll be all right! Thanks a lot for stopping by! ”Do not...

"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...

Sometimes not much is asked of us. There are times when we just need to B e . Be there and enjoy the moments. "Guarding" 5"x7" Oil on masonite NFS We all have a purpose in life, and that purpose is usually not obvious. It may take stillness and inaction to be able to understand it. Focusing on feelings helps. A lot. Listening to my instincts and gut feelings has been helping me in my major decisions. I learned that... If it doesn't feel right it probably isn't. Not seeing a better solution in sight is not a good reason for making wrong choices. (Feeling inspired and pensive today :)   “Painting is an attempt to come to terms with life.  There are as many solutions as there are human beings.”      ~ George Tooker 

"Evening Beach" 5"x7" Oil on panel SOLD One more version of the beach we stayed last summer, in the small town of Briatico, in Calabria, Italy. I really liked the feeling of calm of that small beach, it was cozy and picturesque. This small painting could really be a study for a bigger painting. We'll see. :)

"After the Rain" 8"x10" Oil and acrylic on canvas Available Sometimes if I am driving home and I see a nice sunset I make a stop at the park to have a clear vision of the sky, across the large green area. If I am lucky enough I get decent photos from the view. This was one of those times. I started the painting in acrylics, and actually meant to finish with acrylics, but then decided that it needed some of the buttery consistence of oil paint, and covered most of it with a layer of oil paint, though some of the acrylic colors are still visible. At this point it's impossible even for me to know which is which. “The purpose of learning is growth,  and our minds, unlike our bodies,  can continue growing as long as we live.” ~ Mortimer Adler

Happy New Year!!!!! "Golden Light" 11"x14" Acrylic and Oil on canvas Available A new year always starts full of promises and great intentions. My first good intention of the year is to paint every day, aiming to complete 30 paintings in 30 days. This is the painting completed on January 1st, 2016. I painted this from one of my favorite sunset (or is it a sunrise?) photos. I have done a couple of paintings with oil of the same scene, both sold, this time I tried it with acrylics. I had not painted with acrylics for a long time, and I have to say it required some adjustments on how I handled color mixing and brushstrokes. Main differences: acrylics dry very quickly and they are not as buttery as oil paint, so I had to use many layers where one brushstroke would have done it with oils. Considering I was very busy with family commitments, I am pretty proud of this first piece of the year. I did it! You can see postings by participants in the 30 ...

"Enlightened Study" 9"x12" Oil on Board NFS I am particularly proud of this painting. I took the reference photo one evening after a soccer game; a storm just ended, the sun was peaking from behind the clouds. I painted this study fairly quickly. I think the fact that I panted quickly, makes it look effortless, and I love that about it. A few weeks later I did a bigger version with a slightly different palette, that's why the name "study". It's now showcased in the "Color My World" exhibit, with other 60+ artworks by members of the Dublin Area Art League. The reception for the show is this Thursday, Nov. 19th, at 6:30,  at 5600 Post Rd, Dublin, Ohio. ______  __  ______ Are you receiving my newsletter? I send one every 2-3 months, with updates about my paintings, events that I'm involved with, and other news. Interested? Sign up here

"Believe in Life" 20"x24" Oil on Canvas $460 Prints Available Sometimes it feels like winter inside. Some days are harder to live. There are seasons in our lives when all the fun seems far, far away, and our world seems dark and cold. Those are the days to NEVER GIVE UP. Life is creeping withing. Have faith. It'll be better. It's not really that bad, it's mainly your perception of it at this particular time, in these circumnstances. Believe in life. The miracle will happen, as it always happens for the trees in spring.

My First Solo Exhibit! at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center 1-30 October 2015 My first solo show, and I am so proud of it! Who would have thought that this day will come? Yeah, maybe I did wish it was coming, but it came sooner than I thought. Yay me!!!! I look at the photos and I think "that's my work, in a gallery, and it looks great". There are many reasons for me to feel proud today, here are some. I have been able to create a body of work that stands together, with a theme and a flow. Considering how I like change and experimentation, this is quite an achievement on its own. I can't even cook the same recipe exactly the same twice, I like to tweak and change, improvise. The trick has been finding a subject matter that I really love: skies and sunsets, and how they influence the landscape. That never tires me. Plus the paintings are all a little different, even being connected by a thread. Of the five years that I've been painting, this last ye...

"Magenta" 6x6 Oil on board I am painting every day, I promise!  I just fell behind with the posting. :) This is the painting from a couple of day ago. I did it quickly and with light heart, and I like the result, very "a la prima"  :)) I had fun toning the board magenta and letting the color come through. This small painting will be part of my solo show at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center this October. Coming up soon!!!  Sky High!