Cortney Benvenuto

bio/statement/resume

CORTNEY BENVENUTO

Artist Bio

Cortney Benvenuto was born and raised in Oregon and is currently finishing her Bachelors of Fine Arts at Oregon State University.  Over the last year Benvenuto has had several group and solo shows and has sold several paintings.  The inspiration for Benvenuto’s work derives from her natural surroundings as well as her travels from around the world.  Her work often encompasses the use of bright vibrant colors, strong sense of line, embroidery, and what she calls “saving the white”, in which she creates white lines by not painting in particular areas. Benvenuto enjoys working with all mediums, but her favorite to work with is watercolor; she believes the fluidity of the water and the pigment creates a vibrant, yet calming effect.

 Artist Statement

 Producing art permits me to explore and develop my inner self; the process allows me to discover myinner emotions and feelings that I’m not so aware of.  It also permits me the opportunity to put my neurotic and repetitive tendencies to good use.  Art is an important means of communication; with myself, my personal relationships, and the general public.  I am a visual learner; therefore, I find communicating with art a necessity in my life.

My work often encompasses the use of bright vibrant colors, strong use of line, rhythm and movement, and signs of repetitive neuroses.  I have a tendency to be a bit controlling with my work; consequently, in order to create a looser feel I often begin creating with a blind drawing.  I will then use the drawing for the foundation of my painting.  I also have a tendency to gravitate toward watercolors; their unpredictable and often uncontrollable nature challenges my calculating ways.

I often incorporate embroidery into my work; in the fine arts embroidery has a history of being considered a “woman’s craft” and with a negative connotation, but one needs to reexamine the complex technique involved, the needle and thread become the paint and paintbrush which then creates a highly tactile quality.  Working with embroidery allows me to explore an old tradition, in addition to filtering my tedious and controlling ways into something creative.  I don’t consider myself to be a neurotic person, except when it comes to my artwork.

I’m currently exploring new practices and mediums such egg tempera, in addition to incorporating and, or applying old practices and mediums that I have used in my past work.  I’ve recently began a series of large paintings consisting of blind drawings of landscapes, watercolors, and embroidery on raw canvas.  I’ve discovered this is a wonderful combination of materials which allow me to investigate what I’m most interested in; working loosely but in a controlling, repetitive manor. 

Resume

Born:    

April 29, 1982

Education:    

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Oregon State University March 2007.

Study abroad, painting in Siena, Italy, University of Oregon

summer 2005.

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

“A Taste of Tuscany”, NYE Beach Gallery, Newport, Oregon, June-

September 2006.

PRI, Eugene, Oregon, August-September 2006.

“Last Friday Artwalk”, Better Yet, Eugene, Oregon, July 2006.

“Last Friday Artwalk”, Better Yet, Eugene, Oregon, May 2006.

Selected Group Exhibitions:

“Rockin’ Horse”, Lawrence Gallery, Portland, Oregon, November 9, 2006.

“First Thursday”, Postergarden, Portland, Oregon, November 2, 2006.

“Beautiful Body”, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, March 2006.

 Glenwood Café, Eugene, Oregon, February-April 2006.

 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, January 2006.

 Lake Oswego Arts Festival, Lake Oswego, Oregon, June 2000.

Selected Publications:

Waves, literary and visual arts magazine, 2005

Bibliography: