Articles
BENJAMIN SULLIVAN - Figurative Painter
by SIMON LAWRENCEA MASTER IN THE MAKING
Paintings have many ways of giving pleasure to the viewer - elegance of design, colour, wit, power and strength - but a portrait also has an additional artistic duty; it must be a likeness. Benjamin Sullivan never intended to be a painter, let alone a portrait painter. His fathers a painter, and a very good one too, his mother is also an artist, but in another medium. “Certainly I can remember that age when I didn’t want to do anything my parents did, and those feelings lasted for quite a long time,” Benjamin told me when I visited him at his Lymington studio. “I have to admit I was always good at drawing, but I didn’t pick up a paintbrush seriously until the end of my teens, which is quite late really. You hear stories of people being prodigious drawers and painters from an early age, but I just sort of fell into the art world much later. I guess I must have picked up a lot from watching my parents, but I never thought of art as a serious career for myself.”
Certainly he is doing that now; at nineteen he began painting and within a short period found he didn’t want to do anything other than make pictures. He enrolled on a foundation course in his mothers home town of Grimsby, “It was actually an awful course - they didn’t like any sort of figurative painting, all they wanted was something a bit more whacky. But then I was lucky enough to get a place at Edinburgh College of Art. Edinburgh was completely different - they had lots of figure drawing, and you could spend as much time in the life room as you could fit in a day - it was a revelation.”
However much drawing an artist does, it is important to remember they are expressing form - making the viewer understand the shape of a three dimensional object from the lines made on a flat surface. “Although teaching methods are changing, Edinburgh up until very recently taught anatomy as part of the degree course - something of an anachronism in this day and age. But to actually look at the muscles and have it explained in a way that allows you to see the changes when a limb, or the torso moves - even slightly; gives the figurative painter some important tools which are yours throughout your career.”
Benjamin completed his degree in the summer of 2000, and since has hardly had time to take breath - his CV would be something held proudly aloft by any longer serving professional artist, such is the extent of his successes so far; and considering he has only been working for two and a half years is testament to his talent. I asked him what he did immediately he finished college, and almost as an afterthought told me of his success in winning a travel scholarship to Florence from the Royal Scottish Academy. “I was planning to go that summer - but beforehand I did a quick painting which was accepted into an exhibition in London. I got a couple of prizes for that - and had to wait around for the awards; to be honest that's how its been since - so I’ve been really rather lucky. I didn’t actually get time to take up my scholarship until last Christmas - I’ve just been so busy!
Whilst in Florence the intention was to let himself loose on what he described as ‘some swash buckling figurative paintings’, but ended up producing a large number of smaller drawings instead. “The experience of Florence has freed me up quite a lot. I’ve come home with a portfolio that has a much broader range of style.” Benjamin's work though for me is masterful, his drawing magnificent, he captures his sitters with verve and a lightness of touch, painting in clothing and background in an almost impressionistic style. He manages to convey the moisture on a lip, the reflection in an eye, the bloom in a cheek with an apparent minimum of effort and brushstroke. He works slowly though - a sitter can spend up to two weeks in an almost cataleptic pose, as he works through the process in his methodical way. His technique is faultless, the composition extraordinary in the way he relates the sitter to the rest of the painting.
As I left him he was already packing his easel for a trip to Scotland to do a portrait of a retired judge, which will hang in Parliament House in Edinburgh. Benjamin Sullivan has already won numerous coveted prizes and awards in his short career, and is certainly a name to watch in the future.
For the ultimate Christmas gift - a portrait of the one you love, or for the one you love. To speak with Benjamin Sullivan about a possible commission - you may contact him directly at his studio on 0792 9046869.
Benjamin's work is currently exhibited at
THE ROYAL ACADEMY LONDON
THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY LONDON
Benjamin Sullivan is also helping to support the AGBI - ‘Artist’s General Benevolent Institution’, who’s patron is HRH The Prince of Wales. (Registered Charity No: 212667).
Donations are always welcome. They also produce an annual range of Christmas cards by distinguished artists connected with the charity. These can be obtained by mail order. Call Benjamin directly on the above number for more details.