Working for the man much of this week so…..
Retrograde march down the halls of the past!
This is an oil painting I made of my dad Harry from the 20th century. (1998)
Portrait of Harry Bennett, 1998, oil on canvas, 20″ x 30″
Archive for the portrait Category
Portrait from the Archives
Posted in Art, figurative, Harry Bennett, oil painting, Painting, portrait, Tom Bennett with tags Archives, Art, harry bennett, oil on canvas, Painting, portrait, Tom Bennett on August 11, 2011 by Tom BennettSalad days
Posted in Art, art on paper, Drawing, figurative, mixed media, portrait, Tom Bennett, work on paper with tags Art, art on paper, Drawing, figure, mixed media, portrait, Tom Bennett on July 21, 2011 by Tom BennettGreens were eaten that hot day at the neighborhood bar in Carroll Gardens. She was amused that he had ordered a Greek Salad as the Japanese team brought honor to their distraught nation.
mixed media: graphite, pencil, goauche, benzyl alcohol ink, india ink
Drawing with Harry Christmas 2010
Posted in Art, art on paper, Drawing, figurative, gesture, Harry Bennett, portrait, Tom Bennett, work on paper with tags Art, Drawing, figure, harry bennett, paper, sketch book, sketching, Tom Bennett on December 30, 2010 by Tom BennettSpent Christmas with the extended Bennett family and got a little drawing in with my dad. Our Miss Tiller posed, not that you’d know it by my drawing. Harry is still fresh and fluid, of course.
Below, sketches by Harry Bennett. ink on paper. Towson, MD, 12/2010
My drawings after the jump.
Privacy Is Dead Because Me And James Gilbert Said So
Posted in Art, events, portrait, social networking sites, Toni Tiller with tags Art, Toni Tiller on December 1, 2010 by Toni Tiller
This is late. The contract for this stated that it was due five days after accepting, but it also didn’t list any penalty for not making the deadline so…yeah, here it is, late. The thing is that I actually had the image ready on time, but then got a whole heaping pile of writer’s block to go with it.
Originally I was going to write about the #thesocialgraph, a show based around social networking, and one that while walking through I realized I had connections to half the artists participating through social media. The show was fun, I am a big advocate for social media, and I had demonstrable connections to the show, so I figured this would be easy to write about right? No.
The more I thought about it, the more abstract my thoughts on the subject got, until I didn’t know what I wanted to say, and ultimately came to the conclusion that I had nothing to say. There is nothing linear about how I perceive the relationship between social media and networking and art, it’s substantial, it’s there, but when I go to grab it my hand passes right through. Maybe I just need to think about it more.
Painting in Tongues
Posted in Art, figurative, oil painting, Painting, portrait, Tom Bennett, Toni Tiller with tags abstract, Art, figure, oil painting, Painting, portrait, representation, Tom Bennett, Toni Tiller on November 25, 2010 by Tom BennettI’m interested in how the viewer digests, distills, deconstructs and then reconstructs a piece of art. The visual language an artist uses must rely on the understanding of that language by the viewer in order for the work to to be interpreted as art.
The first is a representational portrait of fellow blogger Toni Tiller, the second is an unfinished version, a work in progress with the intent of abstraction. The first uses marks that signify and symbolize very specific ideas, whereas the second uses a language that speaks more about material first and objective form second. What perception and perspective the audience carries in response to each piece is significant.
Tom Bennett
Toni Tiller A, 11/10, oil on board, 24′ x 24″
Toni Tiller B, 11/10, oil on board, 24″ x 24″
Our Father Who Art in Towson
Posted in abstract, Art, Harry Bennett, oil painting, Painting, plein air, portrait, Tom Bennett with tags Art, figure, harry bennett, landscape, maryland, oil painting, Painting, plein air, portraiture, Tom Bennett, Towson on October 7, 2010 by Tom BennettAs I had mentioned last week, I hung out with my parents these past 10 days in Maryland. I brought down a paint box and small easel, brushes, prepared boards, etc and my dad, Harry Bennett Sr., went to work. We painted for 3 days out side, and then it turned cold and wet. But in those 3 days he did some great stuff. He is the master. Watch the videos that illustrate his quiet confident command and focus.
We painted each other simultaneously, and the next day he did a lovely expressionist landscape from life.
Here are some images and videos.
Harry Bennett, Painting of Tom, oil on board, 14 x 23
Tom Bennett, Painting of Harry, oil on board, 23 x 14
Harry Bennett, Untitled, oil on board, 20 x 16
Harry painting me:
Harry starting a painting:
Abstraction and Representation
Posted in abstract, Art, art on paper, figurative, mixed media, monotype, oil painting, Painting, portrait, Tom Bennett, work on paper with tags abstract, Art, figure, french bulldog, monotype, Painting, portrait, printmaking, Tom Bennett on September 9, 2010 by Tom BennettThis week I’m posting 3 more or less unrelated pieces. I started the portrait last week with oil paint and a black oil medium with turpentine washes on a composite board treated with a gypsum-based hide-glue gesso, hand-made decades ago by my father. It’s a work in progress I’m posting as a documentation of a first “state”.
I’m including an abstract monotype that I printed with two separate images on the same paper, creating a layered print which provides a subtle depth that does not appear easy to find with a normal one-pass.
The other monotype is a loose portrait of the newest family member in fellow blogger Toni Tiller’s life.
Tom Bennett
WIP: Wiltonian in Progress, oil on board, 24″ x 24″
Indian Summer, monotype, 20′ x 16″
Lala, monotype, 16″ x 20″
The Greek, the Geek and the Freek
Posted in Art, art on paper, Drawing, portrait, Stephanie Gerolimatos, Tom Bennett, work on paper with tags Art, bicycle safety, Drawing, humor, Mark Bodah, steph gerolimatos, Tom Bennett on July 2, 2010 by Tom Bennett
Portrait of a Deceased Mother
Posted in Art, figurative, news, oil painting, Painting, portrait, Tom Bennett with tags Art, corpse, Daphne Todd, death, news, Painting, portrait, Tom Bennett on June 23, 2010 by Tom Bennett
Virility, Sterility, Puerility. Andro Pause is Coming to Town.
Posted in Art, art on paper, figurative, male nude, monotype, nude, portrait, Psychology, technique, Tom Bennett, work on paper with tags figure, male nude, monotype, nude, NYC, printmaking, self-portrait, Tom Bennett on May 13, 2010 by Tom BennettI’m continuing this series of the male figure. Here’s a new word I came across: Andropause. I find this an amusing attempt by some to excoriate the more complex feminine process of midlife aging. As a member of the male gender class, I admit we are the weaker sex emotionally, psychologically and, considering our place in the biosphere, physically. Lets face it, men are deep down scared shitless. That’s why we bluster and play the the macho door-busting hero. The Male mid-life crisis might as well be call boyopause.
Tom Bennett
Midmorning Crisis, 2010, monotype, 20″ x 16″
larger image after the jump
What do you Expect? A Baby?
Posted in Art, art on paper, Drawing, figurative, gesture, mixed media, monotype, nude, Painting, portrait, printmaking, Tom Bennett, Work in Progress, work on paper with tags Art, Drawing, figure, monotype, nude, Painting, portrait, pregnant, printmaking, Tom Bennett on March 31, 2010 by Tom BennettMore images of my friend Lauren, who is about to give birth any moment now. I really think she’s going to be a great mother. She’s smart and tireless and focused and kind. Not to me, but I’m a PITA. Pain in the ass.
Here are some really loose monotypes, each about 18″ x 12″. I’m not satisfied with the emotion these prints are evoking at this point, so I’ll keep working. I’ve been continuing with graphite and ink with color wash drawings, which you can check out after the jump.
LP 2, monotype
LP 1, monotype
For the drawings, click here:
Accidents Happen
Posted in Art, Photography, portrait, Toni Tiller with tags accident, Art, grandma, Photography, portrait, Toni Tiller on February 24, 2010 by Toni TillerMy Grandma is a very cool lady, she’s pragmatic, has a wonderfully dry sense of humor, and an appreciation for the absurd. She can spend more time gossiping on the phone than a 14 year old girl and people love to tell her all their secrets, a gift I was lucky to inherit from her. She took a little tumble at the library the other day so I came out to New Mexico to lend a hand, which is really just a convenient excuse to come hang out with her for 2 weeks. I told her that her bruises looked like she’s wearing KISS make up and just to show you how cool she is she both knew who KISS was and asked me to take this photo.
Brangelina Breastfeeding
Posted in Art, figurative, nude, portrait, Tom Bennett with tags Art, Brangelina, breast feeding, figure, humor, nude, sculpyure, Tom Bennett on February 21, 2010 by Tom BennettLike Brad and Angie? Just go here for some ultra voyeuristically – I’m not sure that is a word – weird sculpture. The dove is a nice touch.
From the Archives: A Dandy, a Stoner and a Nude
Posted in Art, art on paper, figurative, Illustration, monotype, nude, portrait, printmaking, Tom Bennett, work on paper with tags Art, baudelaire, figure, huxley, monotype, muybridge, nude, portrait, printmaking, Tom Bennett on February 11, 2010 by Tom BennettI have completely mismanaged this past week and haven’t new work finished to post, so here are a few golden oldies from the last century. The first is a broad portrait of Charles Baudelaire I did as part of a series of sample editorial illustrations, as is the second: the author Aldous Huxley. The third is a piece inspired by the photography of Eadweard Muybridge.
A Version of Baudelaire as a Dandy, monotype, 14″ x 18″
Aldous Huxley, monotype, 12″ x 9″
Untitled Figure, monotype, 14″ x 8″
Kenny Kenny
Posted in Art, monotype, portrait, Toni Tiller with tags Art, kenny kenny, monotype, portrait, printmaking, toi tiller on December 16, 2009 by Toni TillerThis is a loose interpretation of my old (I won’t say how old) friend Kenny Kenny. He’s a style icon and a pillar of the New York night life scene, not to mention a completely lovely and hilarious person. He’s earned his icon status by working the door of every worthwhile party in the last (insert arbitrary number here) years, and being a door queen is a tough job that requires expertise at being charming and confident without arrogance, but also knowing when it’s ok to let the inner bitch off the leash. I definitely learned more than a thing or two watching him over the years. Plus, he still throws some of the best parties so if you find yourself in NYC on Sunday and fancy a little Berlin in the 20′s set to dance music go check him out.
My last attempt at making a monotype went ok, but obviously it isn’t a medium i’m used to, much less particularly fluent in. So in the spirit of the subject I had a little wine, put on my headphones and discoed my way through this one.
Feminine Head: Always a Good Subject
Posted in abstract, Art, figurative, oil painting, Painting, portrait, Tom Bennett with tags abstract, Art, Frank Auerbach, monochromatic, oil on canvas, Painting, portrait, Tom Bennett, Toni Tiller on December 10, 2009 by Tom BennettThat is a cheap way to get untold numbers of philistines to buck up the blog viewership, eh? Huh?
yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, this is a recent oil painting I did with a limited palette and heavy paint application. I’m thinking of Frank again. That’s Frank Auerbach, a painter who has held a place in my consciousness for years. The short interview should be read and is instructive; I find myself sharing some of his thoughts: No strict and rigid method of beginning a work; the act of destroying and reworking.
This painting is an example of a piece reworked and reworked, then completely destroyed to give birth to something else. Anyway, heres to the model and here’s to Frank!
Oh, yeah, one more thing. The photograph is terrible, I apologize.
Tom Bennett
TT, 2009, oil on canvas, 30″ x 24″
The Time Machine
Posted in Art, art on paper, figurative, Illustration, monotype, portrait, printmaking, Tom Bennett, work on paper with tags Art, editorial illustration, H.G. Wells, monotype, portrait, printmaking, Tom Bennett on November 12, 2009 by Tom BennettI’ve been unable to work on my current work this past week, so we’re going back in time; here’s a a monotype from a few years back, which was used as a sample for an illustration annual.
H.G.Wells, monotype, 16″ x 12″
Naked but Covered
Posted in abstract, Art, figurative, nude, oil painting, Painting, portrait, Tom Bennett with tags abstract, Art, nude, oil on canvas, Painting, portraiture, purdah, Tom Bennett on October 14, 2009 by Tom BennettI’m continuing to push the b&w with a little color as underpainting and enjoying myself immensely. Thought? I’m not conscious of intellectual struggle here, thank god. It’s more of the physical and possibly metaphysical, abstract but not erudite. The actions, the constructions and destructions reveal the painting for good, bad or mediocre.
Purdah 2009 #2, oil on canvas, 30 x 24
Neice, oil on canvas, 30 x 24
I Want to be Alone, oil on canvas, 24 x 16
Old Man, Take Two: Another Monotype of Harry, Sr.
Posted in Art, art on paper, monotype, portrait, printmaking, Tom Bennett, work on paper with tags Art, exhibit, gallery, harry bennett, monotype, portrait, printmaking, riversea gallery, Tom Bennett on June 25, 2009 by Tom BennettI’ve been invited to participate in a small show of printmakers in a gallery out in Oregon, where my father is well known and loved. So I’m making more images of him to be possibly included. Here’s another stab at the old prince, fresh off the press. The paint and ink is still wetter than an otter in the Saugatuck Reservoir.
Oil paint, etching ink, lithography ink, turpentine, pencil, razor, knife, rag, et al on rives bfk.
Tom Bennett
Portrait of Harry Bennett, Sr. 2009, monotype, 12″ x 18″
All about Eve
Posted in Art, figurative, oil painting, Painting, portrait, Tom Bennett with tags Art, Canvas, figure, Painting, portrait, Tom Bennett on June 10, 2009 by Tom BennettFrom the twentieth century archives, in a private collection deep in the chesapeake bay, my favorite neice, Eve. She was but 8 years old then. She now slays them at all the best Johns Hopkins sorority bashes.
Tom Bennett
Eve, oil on canvas, 24 x 30
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