Where ART Lives Magazine Volume 2 Number 3 | Page 34

Ally Benbrook
March 2016
What is your first memory of creating art?
Horses! I was a horse-crazy little girl and everything I did as a child revolved around horses. My
early drawings and paintings were all of horses.
Do you have a favorite artist that you admire or that inspires you?
A small watercolor in the Getty Museum by Theodore Gericault ... “The Giaour” really was my
inspiration for becoming a watercolor artist. Current artists who inspire me include John Salminen, Stan Miller, Robert Burridge, Linda Doll, and Ken Goldman
Do you have a favorite piece that you have created? What makes it special to you?
The first painting in my Last Connection series “Trust” was a breakthrough piece for me. It was
my first painting that seemed to universally create emotion in everyone who saw it. It really was
the transition from pet portraits into pieces that tell an important story about a current social
condition.
What do you listen to when you paint?
The birds singing outside my studio.
What tool in your studio could you not live without?
Water! As a watermedia artist, it’s THE number 1 tool I must have.
Do you have a favorite subject matter?
Nearly all of my paintings include animals. I’m also intrigued with old buildings, cars, and
abandoned things.
What is your preferred medium?
Transparent watercolor is my first and best love. Acrylics are a fun counterpoint, but I always go
back to watercolor.

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http://allybenbrook.com