Robie Benve Art

Twice a year, for the past few years (I think four) I have joined the 30-in-30 painting challenge, and it's always a blast!  It gives me the incentive to create more and faster, to experiment working on small scale works or studies.  It's coming up in a few days!! And this time I'm doing something new. My goal this time will be to experiment with mixed media and abstract painting. I know, very different for my usual style. I feel like I need this right now.  The focus is to have fun and think outside the box, push some boundaries. Let's see what happens.  I might end up hating the 30 new pieces, or loving them, we'll see. More likely it'll be something in between.  Whatever happens, I am sure at the end of the month I'll feel like I've learned a lot. It always happens. I'm soooo excited about this! I hope I can find the time to create every day, and to take pictures of the daily work, and post it. Some...

Recently I was contacted by a student from Connecticut that needed help for a school project.  Her assignment was to interview an artist (and she picked me, amazingly! I guess having a web presence pays off, lol). She sent me some questions and I type up the answers and emailed them to her. I love it when I get the opportunity to help young people. They were good questions. Thinking that many people might be wondering the same things, I decided to post them here on my blog. A few of the questions are fully covered by articles I've written online, so I included a link to my articles for more info. Here it goes. Question: What inspires you to make art? Answer: There are many different reasons for me to pick up the brushes and start a painting. I love the challenge of trying something slightly new, in fact I learn something from each painting, and each one starts with the idea that it could potentially be my best one ever. I get very excited about t...

Marcia Evans Gallery has been featuring several of my smaller paintings since December, and they will be on view until Jan 29, 2018. They are all oil painting, available for purchase at a reasonable price.  (hint-hint ;) ) In this photo you can see five of them. Me, standing next to some of my paintings currently at Marcia Evans Gallery. If you are in the area, stop by and visit this nice gallery. Lots of other works in the gallery, especially wonderful abstract and contemporary paintings. It's a great honor to have my work shown in the midst of such talented artists. Location: Marcia Evans Gallery 8 East Lincoln Street, Short North Art District, Columbus, Ohio Hours: 11–5 Tues–Sat and by appointment. Occasional Sundays—please call ahead I feel really blessed to be given this great opportunity, such an awesome way to begin the year! ______  __  ______ Are you receiving my newsletter? I send one every 2-3 months, with updates about m...

"Parador de Cardona, Spain" 16"x20" Oil on canvas Sold A lovely couple got engaged in this beautiful castle and she commissioned the painting as a surprise gift for him. I am super happy to hear that they both were thrilled with how it turned out, and it's now hanging in their love nest. May God bless them and their new marriage with much love and happiness. A challeging process As soon as I saw the photo, I was really intrigued by the purples and blues and the complementary golden light, and quite intimidated by the all the geometrical shapes of the castle and surrounding walls. If you get theangles or proportions wrong, then the whole painting reads fake. I started with a few sketches on paper, then I drew on a toned canvas. I chose orange as the ground color, to give everything a nice glow. After painting through the beginning ugly stages in which the violet was screaming against the orange, the more I filled the gaps with the correct paint co...

I was commissioned by some good friends to paint this view of Bassano, a town in Italy that they love very much. I've had it on my easel for a while, keeping it on the back burner, adding some more paint every once in a while. One of the reasons I procrastinated was that they had no rush. The other reason was that I was afraid to mess it up for them. Now it's done, ready for delivery.  And with great relief I think it turned out well.  : ) The view is quite similar to the real one, I only "moved" several elements closer to each other, so that they all fit in the painting: the home, the bridge, and the trees on the left of the building were visible from slightly different points of views. A few preliminary sketches helped me visualize how I could fit them all in the same scene. "Bassano" Oil on canvas 18"x24" Sold As much as I was intimidated at the beginning, I actually enjoyed the whole painting process very much. I was afraid that...

Since when I joined the Dublin Area Art League, in 2011, I have entered two paintings in the Spring Show and two in the Fall show, every year. The great thing about a local art league is that all levels of skill and professionalism are represented, every member is encouraged and supported, and the fact that you get to show your work to the public on a regular basis, really serves as a great incentive to get better and do more. One of the best parts of being a member is the opportunity to network with like-minded people, and that's why I love attending the meetings and the show receptions, where I get the opportunity to chat with all the other artists and art lovers. Here I am next to one of my oil paintings in the Dublin Area Art League Fall Show, "It's Good to Be Home" oil on Canvas 16"x32" I recently ended my two-year term as DAAL president. During that time I got to know and enjoy this art league even more. I was also the co-chair for th...

Thanks a lot to Kim LaRosa for giving me the opportunity to exhibit my work at her fitness center. There was reception/party is on Friday October 20, lots of people came and enjoyed appetizers, live music, open bar, and of course my artwork. :) That's me at Powell Fitness, right before the reception started. Robie with Kim LaRosa, owner of Powell Fitness. Thanks to all that came! I got to meet some amazing people that night. :) The show includes 25 paintings, in assorted sizes and subjects; it will be on view until end of April, 2018, at Powell Fitness, 3967 Presidential Parkway #A, Powell, Ohio.