"Added Spice From Jack Leynnwood"...

Jack's Added Spice...

Well, it is about time that I "fess up" to a few things. This is a painting that I completed at Art Center back in 1976 in one of Jack Leynnwood's rendering classes. If you know me, you know that I adored Jack. The reasons are many and have been explored in pretty explicit detail in earlier blog posts.

(  If you are really interested, see blogspots like: http://graphicgumbo3.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-about-jack-leynnwood.html, and, http://graphicgumbo3.blogspot.com/2010/04/thoughts-about-friend-and-teacher.html, and, http://graphicgumbo3.blogspot.com/2012/02/jack-leynnwoods-pearl-diver.html )

But this "Jug" illustration was one that when I showed Jack he felt it needed more "visual pizzaz." As is the case in so many of an early artist's education, once you've completed an assignment, collapsed in bed and awaken a few hours later, you see things you like and things you don't. At Art Center, critique stories abound. Some are really embellished to the point of absurdity, but you always wanted to meet the class deadline "spit spot, and spot on!" It was always better to catch a mistake before you went into a classroom critique.

But, not so with Jack.

We had to complete a product illustration or rendering of our choosing on a 15x30 surface. I really should have painted the Thunderbolt horizontally, but at the time, it never occurred to me to do so. If I had, I would not have had to paint that hole in the sky that just refused to be ignored. With a giggle that suggested no one should be ridiculed for making mistakes, Jack recommended that I lose "the donut in the sky." He, then, at my request, not only made some suggestions on how to make the scene more appealing, but he actually, pulled out the brush and quickly painted, or repainted the foreground runway with puddles from the rainstorm and some skid marks. He also suggested I add some wet spray coming off of the wheels which were shown retracting. 

I asked him to show me how he'd do it, so, he did.

I had that piece in "C print" form in my portfolio for years, but the original now belongs to the United States Air Force in their art collection. In hindsight, I am ashamed to say, I took the framed Ben Bensen III/ Jack Leynnwood painting that I, so dearly loved, off the wall and used it to secure my trip to the Air Force gala presentation at Andrews, AFB.

The painting I started for the show never got completed... and, I was a desperate artist in need of a vacation.  I must have been dizzy from late night deadlines and marker fumes to have done such a thing.

Did I mention that I owned two Jacks? No? Well, one day, when I find out where the hell I put the other matted and framed Leynnwood classroom demo, I tell the whole story...

But, don't hold your breath. 

It has been missing somewhere in my home since Hurricane Katrina!

Copyright 2014/Ben Bensen III

"Um, This Was A George Burns Portrait I Did For TV Guide!"

Portrait in gouache for TV Guide cover...

Staying the Batchellers, Keith and Sandy, in San Dimas, CA, is always a treat. I've had the pleasure on many occasions to spend time with them, but this time, my wife, Tee, joined me.

One of the really neat things of spending some time with them is all the great paintings that Keith has framed and on the walls all around his home. Every room is a feast for the eyes. Naturally, there is always something new to enjoy and talk about. Currently, Keith's living room has about a dozen paintings framed and ready to be hung at the San Dimas 38th Annual Western Art show this weekend.

Keith and I, in the Batcheller's living room.

I hope I get the time to peruse the show, this coming weekend.

But, just before we, once again, said our goodbyes, Keith shows me some of his older commercial pieces he's gathered up to show his students today. He has been teaching art and illustration at Mt. Sac College for over thirty years. And, as is his way, as he is moving towards the front door to leave for class, he very quickly, and in his blasé way, opens up his carrying case to show me about five or six illustrations from his Disney and editorial art days. 

"I'm bringing these pieces to show my students what original art should look like", he said. 

"Wow," I said as I savored every illustration. "I remember seeing my first original art. It was used in a print ad for a pharmaceutical company and was of a roller coaster that turned into a snake. It was painted by Dallas illustrator, and I couldn't believe that there was no printing "magic" that changed the original into a perfect printed ad."

"It was, indeed, illuminating to see that what was printed was exactly what was painted," I said.

"That was an education for me, then," I quipped. Keith agreed as he started putting the art back into his bag.

"Wait, wait," I begged, these are really nice man. "Let me take some pictures...okay, I know you gotta go," I said as I fumbled for my camera.

"Come on man, at least, just one!"

Copyright 2014/Ben Bensen III

"Publicity," I Gasped...!

My Mom...the Rocker!

Yesterday, amongst the myriad of things I had to do, I had to bath and "dress up" my mother for a Easter wing ding at the Senior Center. I also had to bring or make a cake for the celebration. Apparently, mom recruited me for the baking job.

I brought one!

We arrived one half hour late because I had to take my paintings to the museum to be hung at the Plein Air show this weekend. When mom walked into the senior center, not unlike John Wayne walking through those swinging bar doors, she started dancing and waving at everybody. 

Why music was playing while some politician or government official was making his speech, is beyond me. But, whatever he was saying mattered little to the senior crowd, who, I guess have heard it all too many times before. Mom, reveling in all the attention, was completely oblivious to the official presentation, and started boogie-ing to the music. Many in the crowd, pointed at Mimi and started laughing and waving, throwing kisses to my mom and egging her on!

It must have been the bunny ears I stapled to one of her skull caps!

It was hilarious, and the thing is, we had to leave within about an hour because mom had a doctor's appointment. Upon my return, Mellow, a staff worker, was taking more pictures of mom with her "paparazzi iPad" for publicity!

"PUBLICITY", I gasped while trying to drag mom away from the cameras.

"Yes", said Mellow. "I'm trying to get her into the newspapers, again!" 

"It's good publicity for the center," she giggled!

"Oh brother!"

Copyright 2014/ Ben Bensen III

"Flickered"... And A Bottle Of Chardonnay!

Flickr or Flickered?

Well, I'm supposed to be sending some samples to a prospective client, and got so pissed at Flickr for changing it's format, I decided to calm down with a glass of chardonnay. I tried two more times to upload artwork to the original site and twice it sent my work, tags, description and artwork, to a new formatted Flickr site. 

I cursed them out severely, and had another glass of chardonnay. While imbibing, I decided to write them a nasty letter only to have them reject the stupid code when I tried to send it. Now, I'm furious and have another refill. Undaunted by their initial rejection, I was smart enough, even though by now, I've finished over half a bottle of wine, to have copied my email rant. I started all over again to tell them, maybe, with less vitriol, of my concerns. 

Blame my loss of passion on the wine, I guess.

I started over, again, and pasted the copy back into the description box and filled out, dutifully, I might add, all the required information. It tells me that it needs a few minutes to download my request. I returned twice to the computer to see if my comments were sent. Naturally, in the time waiting for all of this to be completed, I fixed my mom dinner, and while doing so, had another glass of chardonnay. 

I can feel a John Belushi, Weekend Update rant, coming on!

A friend sent me a picture of the real St. Patrick and I defiled it with my comments. I'm so ashamed. Sorry, 'bout that to all my friends from the Irish Channel!

On my return to the computer, twenty minutes, and a fifth glass of the lovely chardonnay I purchased on sale at Winn Dixie, later, I was informed that Yahoo suffered some sort of server error problem. Yeh, RIGHT!!!!!

Now, I really don't give a fuck, about the job, the samples, Yahoo, my mom, or anything. Let the gnomes or trolls or gremlins clean the kitchen. They can also shut down all my "effin" computers for me, too.

I did decide to leave what's left of the wine inside the bottle... for later!

Copyright 2014/ Ben Bensen III

"Come Check It Out, And Maybe, Pass Off 'Da Hatchet... For A While!

"My Latest Effort,"Barnardsville Barn"...

I'm entitling it, "Barnardsville Barn" because that's what it is, and that's where it's at!

This is my latest painting which I created from a photo I took while visiting a friend a couple of months after Hurricane Katrina. I took a series of shots from this area as it was that "golden" time of the evening in the fall in North Carolina. I just loved the light and colors that were created by the long autumn shadows.

A few of my artists friends were questioning the logic of the placement of the barn, which is smack down center of the piece and the offset fence in the foreground. In the process of painting the picture, the fence was white and not aligned horizontally. Because of that, the fence overpowered and aggravated the eyes of some viewers. The centered barn was almost unnoticed save an intense blue tin roof which reflected the sky.

The original unfinished painting!

Anyway, putting the fence more in shadow helped me tell the story and create the visual tension I was searching for. Whadd'ya think?

Copyright 2014/Ben Bensen III

"Go On And Let Ya Backbone Slip"... Happy Mardi Gras, Y'all!

This is my mom. She's eighty-nine years old and although, at this age, age matters, today is Mardi Gras and everyone throws care and aching joints, out the window! These videos and pics were taken by a friend of mine, Julia LeMaire, a nurse who comes to the Senior Center in Mandevile, LA to take blood pressure and heart rates every Wednesday. Her mom sits with my mom for hours, playing games that don't require much balance, coordination or stamina...

Bingo, dice, and cards...

I wasn't even at this Mardi Gras celebration and, had I been, mom still would have boogalooed her old bad self to the dance floor. Most of the time, mom teeter totters her way around eschewing the use of a cane, a walker or a rotator. But, it seems, whenever there's music, their hearts get to thumping, the blood gets to pumping and they're off.

My mom's not the only one!

But, she rarely remembers the details of how my father would take her out dancing just about every weekend. When someone asks her about her "dancing partner" she's says that he hurt his hip and doesn't dance anymore. ( My dad died in 2000 from a blood clot in his calve! ) Mom hasn't dance with anyone except, occasionally, me or my brothers.

It's funny how some folks just have to express themselves through dance expelling all of life's demons as they move to the beat of the drums and their hearts...

Rock on, mom... and Happy Mardi Gras to all ( even the non-dancers, ha! )

Copyright 2014/ Ben Bensen III