ARTIST’S
STATEMENT
My most recent body of work is composed of large gestural drawings done in charcoal, pastel, acrylic, and mixed media. They employ distortion and exaggeration in a way that enables the shapes to be liberated. I think they can best be described as character portraits. I begin each piece with some blind contour drawing, and then develop it according to the length of the pose and the energy, emotion and personality of my sitter.
For me drawing is a finished medium rather than solely a vehicle for preliminary studies. Part of the reason for this is dictated by my process which allows me to capture the moment rather than focusing on the academics of portraiture.
I enjoy the feel of charcoal and take advantage of its tactile properties in depicting sensual aspects of my models. Charcoal is completely responsive in heightening emotional states… mine and the model’s.
BIO
Carol Benisatto has a degree in Advertising Art & Design, and has also conducted her studies at several well known art institutes, including; The Stevenson Academy of Art in Seacliff, The Long Island Art League, formerly The Huntington Township Art League, and The Nassau County Museum of Art. She is studying the figure with Maija Veide at The Katonah Art Center.
She is a member of Viridian Artists @ Chelsea, where she is Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Katonah Museum Artists Association, the Ossining Art Council, and the Blue Door Artist Association.
Her most recent work is a collection of unusual character portraits and landscapes. For the most part, her media is charcoal, pastel and ink, but has also been showing work done in acrylic, watercolor and collage. Currently she is exhibiting at Viridian Artists @ Chelsea, and a number of locations in Putnam and Westchester County, including The Paint Box in Bedford Hills, and The Flatiron Gallery in Peekskill. Her work is in private collections in San Francisco, Virginia, Florida, Montana, New Jersey and New York.
