The apple never falls far from the tree. Lainey Benson comes from an artistic family, and so it’s no surprise that her paintings are now bearing fruit, with past exhibitions all but selling out. Benson’s latest work is now on display at the Nelson Public Library.
Benson’s father was a professional musician; one of her brothers followed in his footsteps. Two other siblings are both accomplished artists, and her mother taught elementary school art. Although Benson’s career path took her into health care, she recently picked up brushes and refreshed her memory on colour theory classes from a decade ago.
“As it turned out, the urge to paint was stronger than my career ambitions,” she admits. “So, after some deliberation and a sense of relief, I returned to my studio. And so for the past four years, I’ve been devoting much of my time to painting and I feel all the richer for it.
“Part of the pleasure of painting for me is first walking through older urban areas of towns or cities and recording their charm with my camera. I am inspired by the blending of light, shapes and colours found in the street and alley scenes. I love returning to my studio with these fresh images, which I then try to capture in my paintings.”
Benson’s work adds a welcome dash of colour in the library. The exhibition continues until the end of May.