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SCULPTOR . MASK PERFORMER . PRINTMAKER . PAINTER
Benton is a transculturalist whose venues extend from New York City to villages in
remote parts of Africa, India, and Nepal and to philosophy and education portals from
Calcutta to Cambridge. Art-working travels in the 1990's included her second year-long
world journey, this one beginning in India as a Fulbright Scholar, continuing to Ireland
and then onto East Africa as a Thanks be to Grandmother Winifred Grantee. Another
four month journey in that decade carried Benton to Bulgaria, Bangladesh, India, Nepal,
and Pakistan. Ms. Benton has since led mask and story work with women and youth in
Sarajevo, Bosnia; and completed artist-in-residenceies at Fundaçion Valparaiso, Spain,
Harvard University, Weir Farm (Wilton, CT), and Custom House Studios, Westport,
Co.Mayo, Ireland. From September to December 2006, she's a resident artist in Taos,
NM through a grant from the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation.
Benton Curated the 1999 exhibit, Facing East: Asian Masks and Artists Inspired by Them
for the Hammond Museum, North Salem, NY. As the Artistic and Managing Director of
Positive Power, she developed four women artists of CT forums and exhibits.
Widely exhibited with over 50 solo shows and representation in museum and private
collections worldwide, she is the author of The Art of Welded Sculpture and many
articles. Listed in Who's Who of American Artists, and International Who's Who of
Business and Professional Women, her work has been featured in numerous publications.
RECENT PAINTINGS
"After reentering the world of drawing through series of pastel portraits in the early to
mid-nineties, Benton took up painting again in 1997. These recent paintings reflect an
increased interest in the natural landscape, often depicting trees and other phenomena in
ways that bring to mind the luminosity of the earlier paintings but evince an even deeper
sense of connectedness and mystery. Road Angel (2001) depicts a goddess-like figure
whose huge face dominates the sky and road. She shines her unearthly light down the
highway. The Dream (2002) is a poignant vision of male and female union, a sleeping
couple embracing under a tree. Once again the setting is otherworldly, the sky a golden
haze. Through these lyrical landscapes, Benton conveys her encounters with the natural
world." Dr. Elinor Gadon
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Believing that the purpose of art is to explore humanity and that art comes alive as it
relates to people's lives, my art draws upon multicultural themes and engages the
participation of others. For over 30 years and in 29countries, I've developed my work as
a bridge between cultures. Drawn to diverse themes steeped in myth, ritual and
archetype, the metier of metal sculptured masks has inspired me to create art around the
world, studying myths and masking and infusing my work with this rich material.
A performance as well as a visual artist, my transcultural tales, myths and legends are
portrayed through the steel and bronze masks I've created here and abroad. I also teach
people of all ages and backgrounds in school and community settings to create their own
contemporary masks and tales.
Beyond mask and metal, I also work in mixed media and printmaking. Secret Future
Works are mixed media sculptures with locked interiors to be opened at a set time in the
future. These works counter our impatient demands for instant gratification and the
implicit fears for the future that such impatience implies. The unseen, presented within
the context of art, challenges us to consider our personal and global futures. Three of
now seventeen Secret Future Works were opened in the 1990's. Those created in India,
Bangladesh, Ireland, Kenya, Tanzania, and the States will open in the future. Often
containing messages placed inside by the people of these many countries, they address
universal hopes, dreams and earned wisdom. I also lead Secret Future Workshops by
guiding participants in the creation of their own secret boxes. Through guided imagery
and journaling, workshop members unfurl and clarify their life stories, and give shape to
their futures.
As a printmaker, I create monoprints (one-of-a-kind prints) using the collage technique,
Chine colle (Chinese glued). The collage papers are hand-made, pre-inked and
hand-painted. My dimensional printing plates create a rich texture onto the prints. These
plates are inked individually for each print. The images and collage papers are placed on
the plate where they fuse to the printmaking paper as the plate and paper roll through the
etching press. Images in these art works are culled from Indian and Turkish miniature
painting; South Asian Folk Art; Korean Lore and Legend; Hebrew Illuminated
Manuscripts; Medieval Manuscripts; The Renaissance; Russian Icons; Greek
Mythology; 19th Century Women Writers, Educators and Feminist Activists;
Afro-Americans; Native American history; and American Landscapes."
To contact the artist: tel/fax 203-438-4650; suzanne @suzannemasks.com
Benton is a transculturalist whose venues extend from New York City to villages in
remote parts of Africa, India, and Nepal and to philosophy and education portals from
Calcutta to Cambridge. Art-working travels in the 1990's included her second year-long
world journey, this one beginning in India as a Fulbright Scholar, continuing to Ireland
and then onto East Africa as a Thanks be to Grandmother Winifred Grantee. Another
four month journey in that decade carried Benton to Bulgaria, Bangladesh, India, Nepal,
and Pakistan. Ms. Benton has since led mask and story work with women and youth in
Sarajevo, Bosnia; and completed artist-in-residenceies at Fundaçion Valparaiso, Spain,
Harvard University, Weir Farm (Wilton, CT), and Custom House Studios, Westport,
Co.Mayo, Ireland. From September to December 2006, she's a resident artist in Taos,
NM through a grant from the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation.
Benton Curated the 1999 exhibit, Facing East: Asian Masks and Artists Inspired by Them
for the Hammond Museum, North Salem, NY. As the Artistic and Managing Director of
Positive Power, she developed four women artists of CT forums and exhibits.
Widely exhibited with over 50 solo shows and representation in museum and private
collections worldwide, she is the author of The Art of Welded Sculpture and many
articles. Listed in Who's Who of American Artists, and International Who's Who of
Business and Professional Women, her work has been featured in numerous publications.
RECENT PAINTINGS
"After reentering the world of drawing through series of pastel portraits in the early to
mid-nineties, Benton took up painting again in 1997. These recent paintings reflect an
increased interest in the natural landscape, often depicting trees and other phenomena in
ways that bring to mind the luminosity of the earlier paintings but evince an even deeper
sense of connectedness and mystery. Road Angel (2001) depicts a goddess-like figure
whose huge face dominates the sky and road. She shines her unearthly light down the
highway. The Dream (2002) is a poignant vision of male and female union, a sleeping
couple embracing under a tree. Once again the setting is otherworldly, the sky a golden
haze. Through these lyrical landscapes, Benton conveys her encounters with the natural
world." Dr. Elinor Gadon
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Believing that the purpose of art is to explore humanity and that art comes alive as it
relates to people's lives, my art draws upon multicultural themes and engages the
participation of others. For over 30 years and in 29countries, I've developed my work as
a bridge between cultures. Drawn to diverse themes steeped in myth, ritual and
archetype, the metier of metal sculptured masks has inspired me to create art around the
world, studying myths and masking and infusing my work with this rich material.
A performance as well as a visual artist, my transcultural tales, myths and legends are
portrayed through the steel and bronze masks I've created here and abroad. I also teach
people of all ages and backgrounds in school and community settings to create their own
contemporary masks and tales.
Beyond mask and metal, I also work in mixed media and printmaking. Secret Future
Works are mixed media sculptures with locked interiors to be opened at a set time in the
future. These works counter our impatient demands for instant gratification and the
implicit fears for the future that such impatience implies. The unseen, presented within
the context of art, challenges us to consider our personal and global futures. Three of
now seventeen Secret Future Works were opened in the 1990's. Those created in India,
Bangladesh, Ireland, Kenya, Tanzania, and the States will open in the future. Often
containing messages placed inside by the people of these many countries, they address
universal hopes, dreams and earned wisdom. I also lead Secret Future Workshops by
guiding participants in the creation of their own secret boxes. Through guided imagery
and journaling, workshop members unfurl and clarify their life stories, and give shape to
their futures.
As a printmaker, I create monoprints (one-of-a-kind prints) using the collage technique,
Chine colle (Chinese glued). The collage papers are hand-made, pre-inked and
hand-painted. My dimensional printing plates create a rich texture onto the prints. These
plates are inked individually for each print. The images and collage papers are placed on
the plate where they fuse to the printmaking paper as the plate and paper roll through the
etching press. Images in these art works are culled from Indian and Turkish miniature
painting; South Asian Folk Art; Korean Lore and Legend; Hebrew Illuminated
Manuscripts; Medieval Manuscripts; The Renaissance; Russian Icons; Greek
Mythology; 19th Century Women Writers, Educators and Feminist Activists;
Afro-Americans; Native American history; and American Landscapes."
To contact the artist: tel/fax 203-438-4650; suzanne @suzannemasks.com
*There is an extra space before the @ for security purposes.