Benjamin Terry

Benjamin Terry, Coral Snake, 2011, graphite, enamel on wood

Benjamin Terry received his BFA from the University of North Texas, where he will graduate with an MFA in Drawing and Painting from in 2013.  Terry has studied with Matt Bourbon, Annette Lawrence, Robert Jessup, and Vincent Falsetta and is represented locally by Ro2 Art. In 2011, The artist's work was published in New American Paintings, Vol. 96, and in 2012, Benjamin Terry received the prestigious Arch and Anne Giles Kimbrough Award, presented by The Dallas Museum of Art. 


Artist Statement
My current work combines representational images and the chaos of ephemeral composition. I play with various thoughts and emotions that pass through my mind at any given moment. Working with memory, fantasy, dreams and time, I use multiple selves to create a narrative sequence that reflect on ideas of internal conflict, self doubt and emotional trauma. My painted figures escape the confines of naturalism and flirt with ideas of abstraction. Like a memory or dream, parts of the narrative become blurred or fragmented--and the original thought is always transformed. Their evolutions, whether through multiplicity, incompleteness or obliteration, imply that my subjects are odd fragments of a half- forgotten memory.


Selected Shows

2012  Not Really There - Solo Exhibition
    Ro2 Art Uptown Gallery, Dallas, Texas

Fracture [w/ Giovanni Valderas] | Curated by Ryder Richards
   Lago Vista Gallery, Dallas, TX

2011 Fresh Meat | Juried by Cris Worley and Eric Swenson
   500x, Dallas, TX

Now | Juried by Vincent Falsetta and Ed Blackburn
   Lightwell Gallery, Denton, TX

Art in the Metroplex | Juried by Toby Kamps
   Moody Gallery, Ft Worth, TX

110 Degrees | Group Show | Cohn Drennan Contemporary
   Dallas, TX

Recent Drawings | with Blayre Stiller | Union Gallery
   Denton, TX

35th Annual Student Art Competition | Juried by David Iles
   Union Gallery | Best in Show, Denton, TX

2010 College Expo | Juried by Andrea Karnes |
   500X, Dallas, TX

2009 Senior Exit Show | Cora Stafford Gallery, Denton, TX

Recent Paintings | Solo Show | Union Gallerym Denton, TX

Senior Painting Show | Lightwell Gallerym Denton, TX

P.A.N.T.S. Open | Cora Stafford Gallery, Denton, TX

Publications
2011 New American Paintings Vol. 96 | West Issue

Bibliography 
2011 Richards, Ryder. More Proves Better. http://frontrow.dmagazine.com/2011/10/art-review-more-proves-better-at-500xs-energetic-college-show-fresh-meat/


Camplin, Todd. 110 Degrees. | moderdallas.net/todd_camplin_weekly.html

Simek, Lucia. Two’s a Crowd: Summer Group Shows (ultra-filtered). | glasstire.com/2011/07/11/

Teaching 
2011 Teaching Assistant: Drawing 2 | University of
   North Texas

Administrative Assistant: Drawing 2 | University of
    North Texas

Education
2013 MFA: Drawing and Painting | University of North Texas
     Studied with: Matt Bourbon, Annette Lawrence, Robert Jessup, Vincent Falsetta

2010 BFA: Drawing and Painting | University of North Texas

---