15 Minute Art Assignment: Erik Benson

no title (Knit bomb), acrylic, 2015

The piece "no title (Knit bomb)" by Erik Benson was in ArtNews and immediately caught my eye when I saw it. It is no secret that I am a lover of color and this piece to me perfectly blends rich colors with a dull grey color scheme. It interests me because it combines nature and an architecture in a colorful and playful way. I continued to search for more pieces by Benson and got progressively more excited each time I found a new one. All of his pieces seem to illustrate the mundane scenes seen in daily life, which he then brightens with color, pattern, and playful juxtaposition. I think his style of painting could work very well in my concentration, especially the way he paints buildings. His paintings are realistic but also very imaginative. His paintings have a mix of clean lines and natural shapes, which I think is the same for my concentration.