Chris Benjamin:

Inspired by nature

by Ryhanna Salie

Chris Benjamin is inspired by nature, and the titles of her paintings 'Over the Hills', 'Radiant Moon', 'Golden Tree', 'Serene', 'The Far Side' and 'Beyond' reveal her thematic concerns with nature. She experiments with different styles, techniques and mediums, and describes her style as contemporary, unconventional and innovative. This is reflected in her art, which is both a fusion of techniques and a style that is quintessentially Chris.

She says she paints the background and then the canvas starts speaking to her. The end result is open to multiple interpretations

Chris, who is influenced by Modernist painters, but prefers to follow the middle path rather than resorting to extreme methods of Modernism, does a lot of texturing with acrylics and completes her paintings with oils. For example, she uses pieces of regiform, paper, credit cards, toffee paper, tissue and sand to create the texturing on acrylic because it is a medium that dries fast. She also uses combs and forks to draw lines and likes to paint in vibrant colours, juxtaposing the near and the far.

When asked what art means to her, Chris says it is a gateway or a window to express herself and that it gives her the freedom to be creative. It is also a mode of drawing attention to current problems such as global climate change. "It can be employed to send a strong message out to the world," she says.

Chris had her first combined exhibition in 2011 and her first solo exhibition in 2014. She recently showcased her paintings at the Young Contemporaries Art Exhibition organized by the George Keyt Foundation.

A versatile artist, Chris is also interested in Fashion Designing and Photography and has travelled extensively across Europe, North America and Asia. She says her experiences with different people and cultures are embedded in her subconscious mind and that it influences her paintings.

Chris, who has an undergraduate degree in Human Resources, postgraduate degree in Business Administration and an Advanced Diploma in Fashion Technology, had her primary and secondary education at Ferguson High School, Ratnapura. She is a member of the Rotary Club and the Zonta Club, enjoys reading and was touched by the book Still Alice by Lisa Genova, which is regarding a lady professor in her early 50s with Alzheimer's disease.

Chris also likes playing golf, playing the organ and listening to modern pop, blues and jazz. Her official website is chrisbenjaminartist.com

Chris's message to other artists is "be out of the ordinary, think out of the box and don't be afraid to express yourself, experiment and build up your style."