Painting | "Two Tables" by Margaret Benefiel

Original mixed media painting made by local artist Margaret Benefiel.

“My style of painting is flat and decorative, fueled by line, color, pattern and imagination. I have no desire to be perspectively or anatomically correct, it is not my strength. Looking back, I was probably inspired by storybook illustrations of the 1930's and 40's. All those heavy black lines filled with rich color appealed to me. Those books were my first exposure to art work, and those memories are alive in my imagination today.

Twenty years ago I decided to paint seriously, and since I have retired, I work almost daily in my studio. I work primarily with gouache, pen, and colored pencil, often mixing the media together, in overlapping layers. Subject matter is landscapes, figures, gardens, flowers and interiors.”