About

About
Background
I was born in Bournemouth in 1971. After attending a foundation course at Bournemouth & Poole College of Art & Design, I went on to Central & St. Martins College of Art in London achieving my BA (hons) in Fine Art Painting in 1993. Whilst painting and exhibiting continually since, I returned to Bournemouth where I qualified as a conservation quality picture framer.

Creating work in a wide variety of media; charcoal, pastels, oils and watercolours, I paint still lifes, landscapes, portraits and, more recently abstract pieces. Whatever the subject matter, and the medium of execution, I am preoccupied with light, colour and composition and the way that these elements can create mood, form and visual interest. For this reason acrylics, with their quick drying times have become the medium in which most of my work is now executed. They allow a reaction to a subject to be recorded with an immediacy that neither oils or watercolours, by their natures, can facilitate.

'I regard myself as a traditionalist, believing that, 'learning to see' and drawing are the necessary foundations from which work of quality, however diverse, ( representative through to abstract ), can evolve.'
Exhibitions & Galleries
Group Shows
^{1991-93 The Lethaby Gallery, London}
^{1991-93 The Bridge Gallery, London}
^{1993 Degree Show, Central & Saint Martins College, London}
^{1993 ‘Art For Mayfair’, Brooke Street, London}
^{1993-11 The Mayfield Gallery, Bournemouth}
^{1993-99 The Daler Gallery, Bournemouth}
^{1993-11 The Business Design Centre, Islington}
^{1993-05 The Royal Horticultural Halls, London}
^{1998 Burton Sweet Art Prize, Black Swan Arts Guild, Frome}
^{1998 Laing Landscape Competition, Mall Gallery, London}
^{1998 Artistic License, London}
^{1998 Dorset Arts Week, Open Studio}
^{1998-99 Saint Martins Gallery, Ringwood}
^{1998-02 Walford Mill, Wimborne}
^{1998 Candid Gallery, London}
^{1999 Royal Bath & West Show}
^{1999 Cheltenham Open Drawing Exhibition}
^{2000 Karl Hoffer Geselleschaft, Charlottenburg, Berlin}
^{2000 Hampton Court}
^{2000-03 Bookends Art Centre, Christchurch}
^{2000-11 Fisherton Mill, Salisbury}
^{2001-10 Olympia, London}
^{2004 Lighthouse, Poole, Opened by HRH Queen Elizabeth}
^{2006 Battersea Contemporary Art Fair}
^{2007-09 Peter Hedley Gallery, Wareham}
^{2008 Obsidian Gallery, High Wycombe}
^{2009-10 Henley Arts Festival}
^{2021- 3 Turner & Thom}
^{2022 Red House, Open Exhibition, Christchurch}
^{2023 The Lighthouse, Poole - 'Family Lines'}
^{2023 Red House, Christchurch 'Winter Seen'}
^{2023-4 Coastal Gallery, Lymington}
2023-4 Palais des Vaches, Exbury
^{2024 St Barbe Open, Lymington}
^{2024 Red House Open, Christchurch}
^{2024 Lighthouse Open, Poole}
^{2024 Green & Stone Summer Show, Chelsea}
^{2024 Otter Gallery, Wimborne}
^{2024 The Point Contemporary, Cromer Norfolk}
^{2024 The Hatch Gallery, Christchurch}

Solo Shows
^{1992 ' A View of the Dorset Coast'}
^{1998 'Still Lives'}
^{1999 ' Singles}
^{2002 'On the Shelf'}
^{2008 'Solitude'}
Awards & Prizes
^{1998 Second Prize, Black Swan Arts Guild, Frome}
Buying Work
Buying a piece of work, even when it's in front of you, is not an easy matter. Seeing an image on the screen can never compare to seeing a piece in the flesh but this is of course no guarantee that you will like it in the same way. To these ends, any work sold from my site is done so on a sale or return basis. Whilst it must be paid for upfront, I operate a no quibble returns policy should you, with it in your hands, decide that it's not for you.

All pictures will be despatched suitably protected within 3 working days of your order being placed and payment clearing. They will be sent via a recorded insured mail service which will need to be signed for upon receipt so please give an address where someone will be available to receive the goods during normal business hours Monday to Friday.

POSTAL CHARGES
UK MAINLAND - Original Paintings - No Carriage Charge
Prints - No Carriage Charge
Greetings Cards - 1- 4 - £3.50 postage, 5+ No Carriage
REST OF THE WORLD - Costs for shipping outside mainland UK will be dealt with on a case by case basis. Please contact me directly to see if we can come up with a bespoke service to get my work to you.

RETURNS - In the event that you are unhappy with your purchase, please can I ask that you email me at ben@benwinterart.com or contact me by phone (nos. below) within 48hrs of receipt. I will happily refund all monies paid by you upon safe receipt of the image by me. Whilst there is no charge for the postage of artwork to any address in mainland UK, I'm afraid that the cost of the safe return of said artwork is your responsibility. Work should be returned, once you have notified me of your intention to do so, appropriately insured, and packaged as received, as soon as possible and no more than 14 days after receipt.

DAMAGED GOODS - As with returns, notification of any transit damage to work must be communicated to me by phone (nos. above) or email ben@benwinterart.com ASAP but within 5 days of receipt.

Background

Exhibitions & Galleries

Group Shows

Solo Shows

1992 ' A View of the Dorset Coast'1998 'Still Lives'1999 ' Singles2002 'On the Shelf'2008 'Solitude'

Awards & Prizes

1998 Second Prize, Black Swan Arts Guild, Frome

Buying Work

^{1992 ' A View of the Dorset Coast'}
^{1998 'Still Lives'}
^{1999 ' Singles}
^{2002 'On the Shelf'}
^{2008 'Solitude'}

^{1998 Second Prize, Black Swan Arts Guild, Frome}