Chris Bennett

Mountains and painting have always been my passion since my early school days in the Lake District, UK where we ran up and down those moody beautiful hills daily. It was here I discovered John Ruskin’s work and the Arts and Crafts movement which grew out of a reaction to the mechanised Industrial Revolution. Ruskin championed the idea of ‘truth to nature’ and encouraged painters to observe the natural world closely.

I completed an art foundation course at Manchester University before studying to become a Professional Architect. I am fortunate to be able to easily visualise in three-dimensional form. The relationship between form and space is dynamic, as the form can define and shape space, while space can influence and alter the form. Painting mountains reflect this for me. Throughout my career sketching and painting were my joy and relaxation.

We retired to Squamish in 2016 where I continue to paint in oils and watercolours from my home studio and strive to capture my experiences from hiking in this awesome inspiring natural landscape. I use Winsor & Newton oil paint because it creates depth through different layers of pigment applied over time. This gives oil paintings a sense of dimension that’s virtually impossible to achieve otherwise
as you can move the paint to suit you desired effect without it drying too fast.

Please email artbyCOB@gmail.com for more info or to visit my art studio in Squamish, BC. Follow me on Instagram @artbycob. And cobart.ca