Drawings and Paintings

The majority of my art from the last 7 years or so has been oil paintings, and some acrylics, with the subject matter ranging from portraits to landscapes, and some abstract pieces with washes, drips, and splashes of color. I have also done a substantial amount of pastels and charcoal works.  At this time, as in introduction to my art, I’d like to show you some of my most recent paintings and drawings.  This first piece is charcoal on paper, 22X30 inches, and was drawn for my uncle Ben’s Christmas present.  The subject matter is comprised of Ben’s camping and hunting materials: shotgun, cowboy hat, shotgun shells, rusty lantern, cigars, etc…I really love drawing with charcoal.  While graphite pencils are often considered sturdy, reliable and precise, charcoal, on the other hand, is a unique counterpart: it’s bold, messy, daring, versatile, and dramatic. It’s much darker than any pencil and has a different richness.  You can create extremely realistic, sensitive drawings with it, while there is something about picking up that dusty stump of charcoal that frees us to go big, expressive and gestural. 

"Ben"  2011, 22 x 30, Charcoal on paper

I’ve done many charcoal drawings over the years.  Here are a few:

"Woodstock"  2009, 18 x 24, Charcoal on paper

"Steele"  2007,  12 x 16, Charcoal on paper

This painting was done for my brother and sister-in-law, of their white boxer, Bella.  It is large, at 36x48 inches, and painted in acrylic.  I have painted MANY pet portraits, and am always available for commissions. This loose, colorful style is how I enjoy painting the most, though I am able to ‘tighten up’ and paint more realistically as well. 

"Bella"  2011, 48 x 60, Acrylic on canvas

Stay posted for more paintings, as I am working on a new body of work, and please contact me at bhenson25@gmail.com for any painting or commission inquiries.