A special message to those who love my husband’s art:
Sadly, Benton passed away January 20, 2014 from complications after heart surgery. He was loved, and is missed, by so many. We all remember him for many things, especially his artwork. A wonderfully talented, loving and gentle person, we all are blessed for having known him. I watched him for years as he created the pieces shown in his portfolio – there is a story with each one. I am thankful that I know those stories and lived them with him. He was so at peace when creating, drawing and making each piece come to life. Now, he is at ultimate peace and we are fortunate to have these renderings to comfort us as we mourn his loss and celebrate his life. Enjoy…it would please him so!
Kelly Bilbrey
Below were the words Benton wrote to describe his love of drawing:
Making people happy by putting their memories in two dimensions is my mission. Having drawn since childhood, architecture and other solid objects have always attracted my interest.
My lifelong love for things mechanical has inspired me to render a variety of transportation-type projects (automobiles, boats, airplanes, etc.), as well.
The primary reason I like working in pen and ink is that there is no margin for error – every stroke is indelible and upon every stroke depends the success of the final composition – if, after working a number of hours on a piece, one makes a bad mark, or fails to pay enough attention, the piece is ruined – so, I enjoy the ‘tension’ factor.
I strive to make my art reflect the true character of the subject and in a realistic way, using any media (or combination) to achieve the desired effect. My art is produced in other mediums and products, including etched products (glassware, mugs, etc.).
--Benton Bilbrey (1950-2014)
