Burke Residency 36: Benjamin Frederick Art

MAGGIE: Hi Ben! Can you introduce yourself and share a little bit about your art background?

BEN: Hi Maggie. To share about myself, I am originally from Dayton, Ohio which is where I now reside. I am married (to your sister, of course) and we have three kids. I am an adjunct professor at Miami University and I have taught at other schools in the Dayton/Cincinnati area as well. My undergraduate degree is from Miami University where I studied painting and ceramics. I received my MFA from Edinboro University (now Pennsylvania Western University). 

M: In this collection, we have a mix of collages and paintings representing your work. Do you have one preferred medium? How do the different mediums inform one another in your work?

B: Oil painting is the most enticing medium for me. It is a complex medium that can be utilized to wide ranging effect. In the past it was viewed as the pinnacle of artistic achievement which I have taken as a bit of a challenge to tackle and find some mastery over. I have used it since high school and at this point the smell of oil paint is inspirational. Though I have this admiration for oil paint I have always had a love for all kinds of mediums. My undergraduate degree concentration included ceramics which has its own wonder and smells. I took a few printmaking classes at that time as well which were wonderful; I still hope to do more of it someday. But currently, I mostly draw and paint. Now and then I venture into collage. I like collage because of the construction of it, the physical act of making it. You are building the image with chunks of color. There are two main parts that I think about when I make a collage. One is the edges of shapes and the other is space created by color. This makes collages tedious for me because I often challenge myself to abut the shapes rather than layer them and to get them to interact cordially can take time. The same idea of abutting versus layering occurs in my paintings though can be resolved a little more freely. So there are aspects that readily translate from one medium to the next, but I am intuitively fascinated by arranging, manipulating and reacting to the elements of any medium. 

M: I love that your work has such a focus on our everyday surroundings. Was this always the subject of most of your art or how did you come to decide on your environment as your main subject?

B: I have made work of and about other things and I still venture into full abstraction sometimes. But the choices feel limitless of what I could create which makes it difficult to be focused. I think it is interesting to ground color and shape with everyday life. It causes different layers in the work so that you can look at just the physical arrangement, or the recognizable subjects, as well as the particular people or space or moment. Artwork needs to have a motivating factor, an answer to the question what should I paint, and choosing my subject from everyday observation feels important to me as much as it is readily available. Artists that I admire, Fairfield Porter and Pierre Bonnard, worked from everyday subjects as well. I am not sure if I use similar subject matter because of them or admire them because they used subject matter that resonated with me; maybe a little of both.

M: The colors in your work feel really cohesive and consistent. Do you have a particular palette you like to work within? How are colors a part of your art process?

B: I do not think too hard about making the colors consistent. Actually, I think I am more aware of inconsistencies, so I am glad that you see cohesiveness. My palette is somewhat limited based on paints that I am interested in, their usefulness and also expense. There are certain colors that I am interested in using or mixing, exaggerating or bringing out in a painting that probably appear across multiple works, but I try to let this be a natural occurrence. The collages are made from colored paper that I have collected or from painted paper. In this way they have a different range than the paintings, but I think similar color interests show up.

M: How long have you been making art? Was this a regular practice in your childhood as well, or is this a passion you discovered in adulthood? Can you share more about your journey as an artist?

B: When I was little, I would grab stacks of computer paper and make drawings. I think much of the time I drew superheros that I would invent. I particularly liked the different color combinations from one hero to the next. My dad was an architect and made paintings and drawings that hung in our house. He would look at my drawings and help me adjust things here and there. His mother was also a painter, and her house was covered in paintings which was a strong influence in my interest in art. In deciding what to study in school there wasn’t much of a decision. Art was really the only thing I was interested in though I did briefly consider architecture. The process to being serious about making art has been slow though. Before starting college, I already thought of myself as an artist and throughout school I was typically more talented than my classmates (or saw myself as that) and so it was hard to see how or that I could push myself. After undergrad is when I began working out what an artist does; what does a studio practice look like? I made a lot of different kinds of things and started looking at art more. Through this process I began to see my tendencies and likes and dislikes. My ideas became clearer which led to going to grad school. I don’t think I have arrived anywhere yet and maybe never will but I have benefited from just getting to work and things get refined through time.

M: You have an extensive education in Art as well as being an Art Professor. With so much expertise, how do you practice continuing to learn your craft and be a student as an artist? 

B: I am always interested in what other people are doing. I like finding work on the internet, on Instagram or sites like Artsy. I collect books as well which leads me to internet research and vice versa. I try to go to shows and museums when I can. I am always considering not just what people are making but how they are making it as well. I love seeing studio photographs to peek at how brushes are stored or what brand of paints are being used. I enjoy finding things that remind me of the kind of work I want to make. Additionally, working with students is educational for me. A good amount of my classes is explaining artwork to students, and they always have questions. These interactions cause me to think about the creation of artwork and what is being communicated in a deeper way especially since the artists we discuss approach art in such different ways. 

M: Since I know your kids well ( :) ), I know they are constantly spending their time making art, which I think is so special! How do you see the importance of art in your role as a parent?

B: My kids all do the same thing that I did when I was a kid, grab a stack of printer paper and draw. I did not teach them to do it just introduced the paper. They each have different interests with it which is exciting to me. Making art, but drawing in particular, is a way to think, a way to express yes, but also a way to see your thoughts that you might not be able to see clearly. When you draw you still might not be able to see clearly but then there is something to work with and perhaps you make another drawing. It is interesting to see how kids make different versions of the same thing as if to see it a little differently. I love that and what I try to encourage is the aspect of trying something, put it out there. It might be great as is or it might be the start of something that can be refined. I think that being comfortable with trying is important to the development of a deeper confidence. 

M: What are your future goals and aspirations with your art practice and career? 

B: My goal is to continue refine what I am doing, making art and teaching. There is always room to develop and grow. I have a vague idea of what I want my paintings to eventually look like and I can see that slowly coming through. As this idea continues to become clearer, I hope to produce more and therefore show more work. I enjoy sharing work and getting to hear people’s response. I have had opportunities to show my work in several places around the country and I would like to do more of that and would love to eventually show internationally as well.