Howard's Heaven, Cabin Portrait Conejos Valley, CO 

by Robert Benjamin

Howard's Heaven

Commissioned one of a kind cabin portrait,  15"x30" - not available, private gallery.

Robert Benjamin’s Thoughts About Commissioned House Portraits

        In my life as an artist, I have made many different types of art for many different uses. Some for commercial uses, some for the simple joy of making a beautiful art object. Often I have said, ‘I don’t make art for myself, I make it for other people’ As a painter, I do not get to keep the work. It must be sold in order for me to make my living. While I enjoy the entire process of painting, my greatest excitement is about five minutes before I finish the image, when it all comes together, after doing what I call "polishing it". The painting is only finished when I am proud of it. There is always a great sense of pride and accomplishment when I’m done. In this short period of time, I get to reflect on the project and review all my hard work, reminding myself why I love my job so much. Then it’s out the door and to the shipper for delivery to a waiting family; hoping all the while that someday I will get the chance to see it again, much like an old friend. I get to keep the memories and the experience of making the painting, but when released it is a curious mixture of gladness and sadness.

        Often times I am fortunate to see the looks on my patrons faces when they see the painting for the first time. This makes me happy and is unforgettable. Like the time I painted a farmhouse portrait for a family in Michigan and the father loved the painting so much he would not let go of it, out of some unseen fear that it might somehow disappear, so he had his daughter finalize the transaction.

        Many times I am not present at the unveiling of my work as paintings are shipped to patrons in many different places. I keep a fan club file for the touching letters from grateful families that have commissioned me to paint an heirloom for them. This letter from the Leach family sums up their feelings about an oil painting of their family’s summer cabin in Colorado ("Howard’s Heaven"). They gave the painting as a Christmas present to their father.

January 10, 2002

Dear Robert,

I want to thank you again for your spectacular painting of Mike’s family cabin in Platoro. We gave his parents a card similar to this (with a picture of the painting on it). They were so funny, they thought that it looked amazingly like the cabin, and that THE CARD was the gift. When they saw the real painting, Howard got tears in his eyes and Janice was speechless. They left for a trip to California the next day, and called us from there to thank us again. When they came home last week, they called AGAIN with thanks. Mike’s brother, Don, who split the cost with us, was "tickled pink" with it. His wife just giggled at how extraordinary it was. The grand-children immediately started to point at places in the scene and tell stories about adventures. On the whole, we got just the reaction we hoped for. If not for your talent, we would not have such a fabulous family treasure.

Thank you again, from every single one of us! Thanks also to Becky, who "got the ball rolling, and kept it rolling".

Love,

The Leach Clan

        In order to capture the feelings of love invested in a family home, I rely on taking my own photographic records from various perspectives of the property. The morning light, which I call the "growth light", is my favorite type of light. There is such great psychological impact on the viewer of their dawn-drenched home and property, not found any other time of the day. Also needed to make a fine estate painting or a beautiful farm portrait are those tiny details and all-important memorable special characteristics. These points I can reference only by seeing them for myself. I always get a good and peaceful feeling while working on a painting of someone’s cherished home. Knowing how much the painting will mean to the family is a big part of my reward as an artist. I am never disappointed!

This site is here your enjoyment. You will see many for sale or sold landscape art prints, along with giclées and originals  of southwestern art and other fine arts as done by the southwest painter and landscape artist, Robert Benjamin. Don't forget to look at the calendar series,  take a tour and / or get your free screen savers. This site lets you deal DIRECTLY with the artist.

Boxed Note Cards

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size 4.625" x 6" - 12 per box