Jocelyn Benford
Jocelyn Benford · Source: New York Artists Circle · Rights retained by the original rights holders
- Medium
- Watercolor
- Based in
- Brooklyn; Red Hook studio
- Practice
- Works on Paper
I started painting in 2020, and I am primarily self-taught. What began as a Covid hobby has become a passion, and in 2022 I retired early from my career as an educator to devote myself full-time to making art. I recently… Full biography
Biography
I started painting in 2020, and I am primarily self-taught. What began as a Covid hobby has become a passion, and in 2022 I retired early from my career as an educator to devote myself full-time to making art. I recently had my first solo show at the Sweet Lorraine Gallery, and within the last two years my work has been seen in numerous local NYC galleries, including Established Gallery, 440 Gallery, and BWAC in Brooklyn, and at First Street Gallery and Carter Burden Gallery in Manhattan. I am currently represented by Idea Gallery in Door County, WI, and I have exhibited my work several times with The Other Art Fair and Gowanus Open Studios. I have participated in a number of arts residencies, including Studio Faire in France and AIR Studios in Santa Fe, NM. I am a member of the National Association of Women Artists (NAWA) and the New York Artists Circle, and I’m involved with the Arts Gowanus community. I live in Brooklyn and have a studio at TI Art Studios in Red Hook. I maintain a robust Instagram account, and my work can be seen in collections in Hong Kong, Canada, the UK, France, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, and throughout the US.
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jocelynbenford
Website: www.jocelynbenfordart.com
Artist statement
I am an abstract painter, and I work primarily in watercolors with mixed media elements. I’m inspired by the interplay of colors, shapes, and uneven lines, and I love the fluid, unpredictable nature of watercolor paints. I work very intuitively: I always have a starting point - a particular color combination or focal point - but then I just go wherever inspiration leads me, often surprising myself!
I find myself particularly drawn to loose rounded shapes, which have become a recurring motif in much of my work. These shapes and controlled scribbles might take the form of circles, eggs, or nests, and they speak to me of wholeness, resilience, buoyancy, and harmony. They feel like home.
Painting brings me peace, balance, and joy, and it helps me maintain an even keel in our uncertain times.
