Robie Benve Art

"See You Later" 24"x24" Oil on Canvas $650 Inniswood Gardens is a wonderful Park in Westerville, Ohio. I love to go there and walk around, on my own, with friends, and also with my kids. The park has several different areas, with specific habitats, and environments, and nice areas for kids to play, including a great tree house. Anyway, this painting features the boardwalk in the wooded area, and a barred owl, a bird that can actually be seen in the park. On a personal level, I am very attached to the park because they gave me the opportunity to have my solo show in the Innis house last fall. I had several of my landscapes in the show, and the reception was well attended, thanks to the terrific support from the staff and the patrons. Can't wait for the fall colors to be back, that's my favorite season in any park! "See You Soon" will be in the show "Reflexion from the WAAL", the fall show for Worthington Area Art League Me...

6"x6" Oil painting Still untitled Today was the first day of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge! Luckily enough I had a great plein air class scheduled for today, so I got to get out with a group of talented and like-minded artists and enjoy a great day of painting outdoors.  Our teacher is the amazing Joe Lombardo.  Here is a photo of the group watching Joe's demo at Three Creeks Metro Park in Groveport, OH.

I'm very happy and excited that one of my paintings has been accepted into The Ohio Plein Air Society Members Show: Parks en Plein Air At The Springfield Museum of Art,  A Juried, Plein Air Gallery Exhibition On view: Saturday, October 1, 2016 to Saturday, February 4, 2017 This is my first year as Ohio Plein Air Society (OPAS) member, and my first time submitting to this show. I'm thrilled that my painting will be hanging next to those of extremely talented artists "Sunny Flowers at Jeffrey Mansion" Oil on Board 9"x12" When I painted "Sunny Flowers at Jeffrey Mansion" I knew something good must have been happening on my easel, for total strangers passing by had lots of good comments. Well, when you paint en plein air you kind of get used to strangers commenting on what you are doing, but on that day they were way more enthusiastic than usual, so I figured if I had to pick one painting to submit for the OPAS show, it should be th...

This is one of those serendipity events in my life that I can't keep from bragging about. I am very proud of it. I was contacted by Gabriella Moreno, LCSW director of the Path Program at UCSF, and she kindly asked me if they could use the image of one of my painting for they brochure. I was thrilled and honored. I'm in amazement that they found my painting in the universe of images on the web!I'm very happy that they liked it and it fit so well the meaning of the Program. The title I picked for the image is absolutely perfect, and that is where the true serendipity takes place. The original title of the painting was "Hope", as simple as that. When I posted it on FAA, where I have my art available for prints, I changed the title to "Hope - Path to Tomorrow", to make it more searchable, and that made all the difference. The effect of enriching the title with more keywords really made the magic of making it "searchable". Note ...

"Winter Reflections" 9"x12" Oil on Board Available Cold and snow have been our constant companions this winter. I don't like freezing temperatures, my extremities can't handle cold, but I have to admit that snow has its beauty. There is something magic and calming about a snow covered landscape. Besides making me want to drink hot coffee and cuddle, winter inspires me to reflect on life changes, phases, and stages. Under the white icy layer there is still life, dormant perhaps, but ready to revive and flourish as soon as temperatures allow it. I can't wait for spring: walks at the park, gardening, biking, soccer game cheering, and much more. The long, cold wait makes those spring buds and blooms even more precious.

"Golden Days" 12"x12" (30.5 x 30.5 cm) Oil on Board SOLD Landscape painting started on location last fall, and finally finished the details in the new year. I really like the warmth of this one. :) It depicts a part of the Whetstone Park, here in Columbus, OH. It's always a pleasure painting there.Lots of people come there to walk: either solo, with their families, or with their dogs. I got to meet some neat people.

"Fairies' Shelter" 6"x6" Oil on Gessobord SOLD In my pursuit of the thirty paintings in 30 days challenge, I have skipped a few days... so technically this is my fifth painting even if today is the 8th of the month. And yes, I am planning on catching up - who said the 30 paintings must be one-a-day?  Maybe I can be brave and strong and produce more than one painting a day... think positive Robie, you can do anything you put your mind to!  :) I painted "Fairies' Shelter" en plein air , and the sun played tricks on me because it disappeared 5 minutes after I started painting, and came out again when I was on my way home. Do you realize how frustrating it is to have seen the warm colors kissed by the sun, in patches through the leaves above, and then everything gets dull and low contrast, and you try to render the feeling of what you saw first, without actually seeing it? Well, for a moment I thought of going back to the studio and leave ...

"Dancing Light" 6"x6" Oil on Gessobord SOLD Today I went to a local park to paint, it was part of a En Plein Air painting class, and I had a lot of fun painting this small landscape scene of the woods. The challenge for me was trying to render the patches of light that came through the leaves and spotted the scene here and there. I like the result; I need to try this again. :) This was #4 of my thirty paintings in 30 days challenge. :) Here is how the painting looks framed:

"Autumn Walk" 24"x36" (60.96 x 91.44 cm) Watermedia on Canvas $950 It looks like I have a thing with painting paths in the woods that lead to light, I wonder what Freud would say about this passion of mine.  :) I'm sure it means something positive, because that's how I feel while I paint paths and when I look at them: Positive and Optimistic. Every person is walking a different path in life, but we all are trying to reach different destinations, our personal goals. Walking to the light can represent many things: reaching "success", getting the job of our dreams, being able to graduate after studying so long, etc. What destination are you trying to reach? It's good to have goals in mind that act as motivators to make us do better, more. I think the important thing is to focus on the destination, yes, but without losing appreciation for the NOW, the present, the walk itself. We should avoid to live our lives always wanting what ...

"Hope" 18" x 24" Acrylic on canvas $650 Available at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center Store I love walking in the woods. Every time I take a walk in nature I feel regenerated, it's always a marvelous experience with plants, animals, sounds, and smells to observe and experience. I feel like I don't do it often enough! The path in this paining leads to the light, to a promising place, full of hope. I hope you like it. :) Thanks for stopping by. Ciao

"Towards the Light" 18"x24" Acrylic on Canvas SOLD - Prints available In this season of reawakening I joyfully enjoy the daily miracle of life sprouting  at each corner. Winter is over and I can finally stay outdoors, enjoy the fresh air, and recharge my batteries. Closeness to nature always recharges me, the trees, the plants, and the smells are balm for my soul. The chirping of birds tickles my heart. I'm completely fascinated. About the Painting I started this landscape painting by creating some texture with modeling paste mixed with acrylic paint. Then I kept mixing modeling paste to the acrylic paint, and applying it with brushes, painting knives, and splattering techniques, experimenting all the way. It has been a fun-filled painting process. :) It's the second path in the woods that I paint, and I am working on a few more. It's such a beautiful metaphor of life and hope, I love to paint paths in the woods. :) Click Here for ...

"Autumn Walk" 24' x 30" (60.96 x 76.2 cm) Acrylic on Canvas Prints on paper or canvas available here Is it finished? I have been asking myself this question about this painting for a while, and I now (finally) think it is finished.  The beautiful photo reference was provided by the A Nos Pinceaux challenge, few months back, but I have kept it on the works for a long time, alternating with other projects. Sometimes it really helps setting  a painting aside and work on something else. When I pick it up again I see it with fresh eyes and it easier to see what needs working. I am glad I kept working on this, because I like it much better with the recent changes. It was mostly texture and brushwork issues, and some value adjustments. I tried to keep it lose and fun, and hopefully I succeeded. It has been quite challenging to get a good shot of this painting, I thing this one is pretty close to the true colors. It's amazing how slightly different  l...