Working then from objects around the house and then from Vargas and Elvgren drawings, he quickly became adept at figure studies and then portraits.

He took one art class in Highschool and decided "This is not for me"

Being limited by classroom curriculum he set about teaching himself.

Grabbing any art instruction books he could find he began with photographs

reproducing a single image first in impressionism, then in modernism, cubism, Representationalism, Realism, and finally Photo Realism in every medium he could get his hands on, Graphite, Oil, Acrylic, and pastels.

At 51 years of age he can now reproduce any style he can look at.

Still suffering from creative anxiety he says that there is a kind of fear that he will not be able to produce and complete Whatever image he is working on. "One missed brush stroke" he says, "one slip of a pencil could potentially destroy a work in progress"

Believing my own eyes and the impressive list of those who have collected his work, I would have to say he has nothing to worry about.

Kemper Insurance for real estate sales, the regional vice president of Kemper Insurance private collection. The vice president of Sequoia Insurance, private collection The national vice president of the A.F.L.C.I.O. private collection, George Lucas private collection

Betty McCloud Miss Las vegas 1956. private collection

just to name a few.

Having sold all of his work is a statement as to the obvious quality of his work it has also been his curse, leaving him with no "Body Of Work" to show.

Ben Has Begun a series of oils and mixed media paintings based on his latest passion...Hawaii. Her on these pages are some samples of work

As you can plainly see he is in a class by himself.

Look out art world Ben is Coming.

Howard Turpin.