Noel Chrisjohn Benson

My work is often unpredictable. I feel that, when an artist believes they are a master, they have closed the door to their potential. Creativity is always offering the opportunity to learn and grow. I live like a monk, but work like an inventor.

An ongoing part of my life has been dedicated to exploring expression through new mediums and the results each bring. Often new work relates to, not only my current life experience but, other work that I have created. This often leads to creating series and bodies of work.

My time and energy is balanced by moving between projects and medium. This allows me to stay focused within the more tedious and repetitive nature of some the mediums in which I employ. When working with stone is too rigid, painting allows my body and mind to relax. Wood carving can bring bring me back to the stone. Metal work and jewelry happens when the means to do so present themselves.

My approach is, like my fellow stone carvers, to allow the stone to “speak” to me. I’ll often reposition myself or a stone many times, to “see” its natural form before shaping it into something symmetrical. The stone tells me.
My art is not mine. I feel more like a medium, or channel—allowing creations to come alive th...

Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa fe NM, Columbia-Greene College, Hudson NY. (School of Hard Knocks, Everywhere, USA)

Institute of American Indian Arts Winter Students Show - 1999
Iroquois Indian Museum, Howes Cave, NY
Woodstock Artists Association, Woodstock, NY
Byrdcliffe Arts Colony, Woodstock, NY
Varga Gallery, Woodstock, Ny
A.S.K. Gallery, Kingston, NY
Sha:Kowi Cultural Center, Oneida, NY
Oneida Sky, Oneida, NY
Land of the Oneidas, Oneida, NY