North Carolina
What inspired your winning entry? I find bittersweet an absolutely beautiful subject to paint. It has a mind of its own moving around the canvas. Being wrapped in newspaper, it gave me an additional challenge that I thoroughly enjoyed painting. The fact that the news is often bittersweet definitely added to my thought process while painting this piece.
How would you describe your style? I am a realist, inside and out. This is how I approach life, and I feel that this philosophy transcends into my paintings.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Paint what you know. In the beginning of my career, I struggled with what to paint. Then I came upon an article with this advice. I had grown up in the floral industry and had worked arranging flowers for years. My answer as to what to paint was in front of me the whole time. At that point I began painting large florals, honed my skills, and never struggled with what to paint again.
Where did you study art? DuCret School of Art, the Art Students League of New York, and the National Academy of Design (now the National Academy Museum and School).
What inspires you to paint a scene? I love organic subject matter. Nature inspires me, and the way light hits an object on the ground. It doesn’t take much!
What galleries represent your work? Art Cellar Gallery, Banner Elk, NC; Anderson Fine Art Gallery, St. Simons Island, GA; Carteret Contemporary Art, Morehead City, NC; Warm Springs Gallery, Warm Springs, VA; Tree’s Place, Orleans, MA.
This story was featured in the December 2018 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art December 2018 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
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The post Artistic Excellence 2018 | Second Place: Loren DiBenedetto appeared first on Southwest Art Magazine.