In Danger of Extinction

In Danger of Extinction is an homage to America’s Finest City. Bennett has taken his iconic imagery of west coast lifestyle, the beauty, beaches, and urban landscapes we call home and juxtaposed these with layerings of our threatened local ecosystems.

Bennetts urban street style becomes the perfect medium to express the complexities of modern day living. Aesthetically mesmerizing yet thought provoking, In Danger of Extinction is an exploration of dichotomy and a visual exercise, encouraging it’s audience to recognize the duality of all things.

Each mixed media piece, an amalgamation of materials, colors, textures and contexts becomes a window into the nostalgia of California Dreaming, a mirror into our present social lifestyles, and a peek into a future heavily threatened by the danger of extinction…

Behind the Art

My process begins with the creation of a hand crafted Burch wood panel. After cutting, gluing and sanding each panel is uniquely prepped for the first layer of paint. Sometimes I begin with a heavy texture created with wood puddy and accentuated with palette knifes. Other times I stain the wood to bring out the woodgrain. After which I then begin to layer in rich and vibrant colors. I splash and drip acrylic paints until I’ve had my fun and am satisfied with the layout. After Choosing a Subject I gather paper materials such as maps, magizine articles, sheet music, recycled mail and just about anything I can find. Next I layer in the found papers creating placement for where I will then spray paint my portrait. It takes many sessions and countless layers to create these textural paintings and when you get close it’s easy to see the depth and detail that go into every one.