Ben Waters ‘Come, walk with me…’

Ben Waters is a practicing artist living on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. He paints the landscape in and around Pittwater. His focus is to present this area through the lense of memory, imagination and experience. Since 2019, Ben has regularly exhibited his paintings in both group and solo exhibitions. He studied at The College of Fine Arts, NSW University. His current practice involves painting with acrylic on board. He makes all his own boards as well as framing finished pieces.

“I don’t want to paint actual views of this area; I want to paint the way it makes me feel. These feelings can be numerous.

It might be a feeling of awe but it also might be a sense of healing. It might be a feeling of wonder, but it also might pull my focus back to living in the now.

 ‘Come, walk with me…’ is an invitation to share glimpses of this area that evoke within me these feelings and more. These places might be bush tracks that overlook stunning views, or they might be overgrown trails tucked away amongst suburban streets. They could be memories of neighbourhood gums seen repeatedly while walking the dog. It could be imagining what it might be like in an area across the bay which is only accessible by boat. It might be the hollow of a tree trunk which is home to a family of birds. It might be the marks of nature on a Scribbly Bark tree.

These feelings are the catalyst behind the act of painting for me. Painting is the only way I know how to respond to them, and these paintings express something about me that can be shared. In sharing, I hope to extend that invitation to ‘walk with me’ “ – Ben Waters

In Gallery, 20 September–13 October

Online, 13 September–30 October