Artist Statement
My encaustic Chinese flash card paintings are contemplation on our modern society and the inner spiritual life. The Chinese cards represent 4000 years of civilization, the written structure of language, and the intellectual development of human beings. The raw energy and freedom of emotion expressed through spontaneous mark making, pouring and scratching juxtaposed to the grid of cards creates a dialogue between the mind and body. Embedded plants, sticks, leaves and dirt leave imprints in the surface giving it a rich fossil like texture. Many of the elements are used and reused in a progression of ideas and images. All the decisions and preparation for the work is planed ahead of the actual act of pouring the hot wax. The alchemy of liquid to solid allows only split seconds for manipulation.
I create my work horizontally on my lap, on a table or on the floor. This allows me to involve my physical being in the process, often crawling on the surface of the larger paintings. The mind /body relationship is reinforced through the tactile sculptural quality of the work and its square format give it a magical quality.
Artist Bio
Ann Bennett’s paintings have been exhibited in solo and group shows in galleries in New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
In Addition she is in public and corporate collections, including those of Security Pacific Bank of California and Canyon Ranch, Arizona.
Ms Bennett is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. She received a fellowship from the Millay Colony for the Arts in New York and Baniff Center School of Fine Art in Canada.
Ann Bennett was born in Los Angeles California in 1952. She received her BFA from The College of Creative Studies at the University of Santa Barbara, CA.
Solo Exhibitions
2005 Laguna’s Little Gallery, Laguna Beach, Ca
2003 Barnes and Noble Gallery, New York City
1991 La Mama La Galleria, New York City
1976 Creative Studies Gallery, University of California at Santa BarbaraGroup Exhibitions
2005 Bistango Gallery, Newport Beach, Ca
2004 National Arts Club, New York City
2000 San Francisco Open Studios, San Francisco, California
1998 “Rent” The Neaderlander Theatre, New York City
1997 New Image Art, Los Angeles, California
1997 College of Creative Studies Gallery, Santa Barbara, California
1996 Club U.S.A. (bathroom installation) New York City
1995 AC Projects Room, New York City
1992 Art in General, New York City
1992 The Gallery Three Zero, New York City
1992 The Multi Media Gallery, New York City
1991 A.I.R. Gallery, New York City. Currated by klaus Kertess
1988 80 Washington Square East Gallery “Small Works”
1988 Ceres Gallery, New York City
1987 BACA, Brooklyn, New York Juried show
1984 Artist in Tompkin Square Park, New York City
1984 Amy Zuckerman Salon, New York City
1980 Women’s Center Gallery, University of California at Santa Barbara
1979 Santa Barbara City College Gallery, California
1978 Santa Barbara Museum Art Rental Gallery, CaliforniaAwards
1988 Millay Colony for the Arts, New York
Collections
Security Pacific Bank, California
Canyon Ranch, Arizona / Mel and Enid Zuckerman