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I enjoy painting the human face and figure, especially while involved  in some sort of activity, perhaps as a musician, fisherman, acrobat, dancer, etc. This is to demonstrate not only the model's physical state and appearance, but also his/her skills, interests, and achievements. 

I draw the model  in an accurate, realistic way, although not photo-realist. For me this is a better way to express the beauty, personality, and nobility of the model, than surrealistic methods. 

However, I will occasionally place the carefully rendered subject in a purely abstract environment, integrating the representational with the non-representational. In these paintings,  I would like  the abstract to enhance the beauty, the storyline, and the mood of the piece; however, in my works, the focus and center of attention will always be on the figure. 

Nowadays, I work with oil paints exclusively. I have experimented with acrylics and watercolors in the past, but find oils most suitable for figurative painting.  As well, there are no problems with colours changing or fading over the years.  

I retired from the profession of dentistry in 2006, and have made figurative and portrait painting  my serious obsession since then. I am primarily self taught, but with a lot of help from the many workshops I have attended, such as at Toronto's Academy of Realist Art, considered by many to be one of North America's best schools teaching figurative and representational art.

I belong to the Willowdale Group of Artists, with whom I exhibit regularly in group shows. I have won several awards at these shows.  As well, I exhibit at the annual art show at the Toronto  Botanical Gardens. 

Please contact me with  any other questions, information, or comment. 

 

Steve Benedek 

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