Staying out of "tutorial h*ll"😅  What a down-to-earth, likeable guy! Appreciate how candid Ben is about his struggles on the artist's path. Love the passion and energy he has for learning and teaching.

San Diego artists in the house! 💪

At 50 I just took up oil painting last year. I was a teenage mom who never got to pursue her dreams. I’ve been a creative my whole life and fortunately with my AudHd I obsess when I start something new. I can’t learn by watching. I have do it, try it, touch it.  I’ll never be a professional, but I love it.

Listening to Ben, I am remembering the quote by Daniel Parkhurst, "... talent is another word for love of something." ❤ Ben, thank you so much for sharing your journey. Your perseverance is inspiring and your work is beautiful! Thanks Drawing America for telling the stories of artists like Ben who encourage us all towards excellence in our craft!

I follow this guy, he’s the coolest down to earth dude.

I'm in the process of watching one of his painting courses. I can highly recommend, especially if you have a bit if painting knowledge already bit want to bring it to the next level. I am learning skills from him that I wish they taught me in college. If you read these messages, thank you Ben. I am loving the absolute dedication to detail and the depth of your knowledge.

I relate to this a lot, as I've been obsessed with trying to learn classical drawing and painting since I became aware of the atelier/classical realism art world around a decade ago. I've relied on a lot of books, tutorials, patreon pages, and on occassion things like live demos. I've toured a few ateliers, but realistically will never be able to attend one any time soon. In some ways, the classical art world seems even more exclusive than the contemporary art scene, because at least colleges and universities allow you to take out federal student loans and grants and such to be able to attend. Whereas, ateliers (while often actually cheaper overall) rarely offer any substantial financial aid.

I suspect that a lot of people who get into classical art come from money. So often I'll be listening to an interview with some established classical realist artist where they'll just casually say something like "After getting my BFA I decided to study at the Florence Academy" as if that's something a typical recent college grad could just do. I look to artists like Ben as inspiration, knowing that it is indeed possible to learn this stuff through sheer force of will. I still have aspirations to one day attend an actual atelier/academy, or least do a lot of workshops, but for now I'll be continuing to learn on my own. I know I've made a lot of progress because I recently got a figure drawing into a juried 'emerging artists' show in Chicago, which is big deal for a largely self-taught artist from rural Iowa!

Wonderful work!! And so inspiring and approachable. Thank you!

The best teacher I've ever encountered.

The line that stuck with me from this one:

"Having the goal in mind and shooting for it is where all the fun is. And once you get there, then you need a new goal."

Ben spent 15+ years teaching himself to paint at this level — no art school, no atelier. What's the goal you're chasing right now? Drop it below 👇

Very informative and inspiring! I work in a deli by day but I make art at night. Thank you & God Bless!

13:09 broo. Thats exactly whats holding me back. When I get stuck I just move onto something else and never finish stuff. I literally have over 100 paintings 45% finished 😂

Damn you really are good at this

Не сойти с ума...это не важно?

Well said. Totally agree. And superb paintings

I like that Bouguereau master copy on the easel in the background. I believe the original used to be in the Milwaukee Art Museum. It may still be there.

Great insights!  Thank you!   Bottom line, we all strive for excellence and see where it leads us.  If it’s not an enjoyable journey then what would be the point?  As my grandfather always said, “You tend to be good at what you like…”

great artworks - you can master the masters and you bring your own to the table. Have you ever asked why Picasso ditched the classical style altogether even though he mastered it?

Saludos desde Monterrey México. Excelente Entrevista. Ahora más que nunca creo que que hay un renacer del arte clásico. Gracias

❤