Jocelyn Benford

I have always had creative interests and pursuits, but I didn’t begin painting until the summer of 2020. What started as a pandemic hobby has become a passion, and an essential part of my life. Painting brings me peace, balance, and joy. It helps me maintain an even keel in these uncertain times.

I primarily paint in watercolors with mixed media elements. I’m inspired by the interplay of colors, shapes, and uneven lines, and I love the fluid, unpredictable nature of watercolor paints. I work very intuitively: I always have a starting point - a particular color combination or focal point - but then I just go wherever inspiration leads me. I’ll add some color or make some marks, and then I’ll pause and let the painting “tell” me what should happen next. I’ll work in this give-and-take manner, layer by layer, until I get a sense of completeness from the piece - and then I’ll know it’s time to stop.

I find myself particularly drawn to loose rounded shapes, which have become a recurring motif in much of my work. These shapes might take the form of circles, eggs, or nests, and they speak to me of wholeness, resilience, buoyancy, and harmony. They feel like home.

I have taken some online courses, but otherwise I am self-taught. My daily art practice has become my way of learning, exploring, and pushing my boundaries.

•Art Gotham - NYC, NY - Brooklyn NOW - 2025
•Berry Campbell Gallery - NYC, NY - Postcards from the Edge/Visual Aids - 2025
•Brooklyn Brewery - Brooklyn, NY - Staying Afloat (Solo Show) - 2025
•Established Gallery - Brooklyn, NY - Twelve/Twelve - 2024
•Brooklyn Art Cave - Brooklyn, NY - (Surprise!) Bday Party - 2024
•Wild East Taproom - Brooklyn, NY - It All Comes Back Around (Solo Show) - 2024
•Gallery Diderot - Orquevaux, France - Residents Exhibition - 2024
•BWAC - Brooklyn, NY - Salon des Refusés - 2024
•New York Artists Circle - NYC, NY - Faded Sea - 2024
•ALoft Hotel - Queens, NY - NAWA Partnership - 2024
•440 Gallery - Brooklyn, NY - Artistic Muscles - 2024
•Honey Badger Motel Gallery - Brooklyn, NY - Spring to Summer - 2024
•NAWA - Manhattan, NY - 135th Annual NAWA Members Exhibition - 2024 *Recipient of an Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation Award*
•Idea Gallery - Door County, WI - Represented Artist for 2023, 2024 & 2025 Seasons
•BWAC - Brooklyn, NY - Realism vs. the Abstract - 2024
•St. Joseph’s - Brooklyn, NY - One Spirit, Many Voices - 2024
•Sweet Lorraine Gallery - Brooklyn, NY - Feels Like Home (Solo Show) - 2024
•440 Gallery - Brooklyn, NY - 19th Annual Juried Small Works Show - 2023
•TI Art Studios - Brooklyn, N...