Tom Bennett Art - About the Artist

Biography

Tom Bennett, born in Ridgefield, Connecticut, grew up in a household of artists that was influenced by his father, also an award-winning painter, Harry Bennett. Tom grew up spending much of his time experimenting with art mediums and also dedicating much of his youth to drawing. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting at the University of Connecticut in 1982 and studied under the painter and photographer, Bill Parker, an excellent teacher at the UConn. He also studied design under Paul Zelansky, also an excellent instructor. Tom had his first one-man show at the Ridgefield Guild of Artist Gallery in 1982, and two years later moved to New York City to further pursue his career as a painter.
In 1985 Tom spent seven months traveling alone through Western Europe and parts of Eastern Europe— into Hungary, East Germany, and Yugoslavia—and Africa, sketching while traveling and absorbing new stimuli from the places and people. Experiences such as the darkness in the artmosphere of East Germany left from the days of the Nazi occupation affected him subconsciously. Subsequenty, voyages into northern Africa such as Morocco led to contrasting experiences to those of the Western world in the Islamic societies that must have had a profound impact on his artmaking, even though he was not aware of it at the time. He later returned to Spain and resided in Barcelona. Tom feels fortunate for being able to have lived on the Spanish Mediterranean coast painting, where he also had several one-man and groups shows. Eventually, obligations led him to return to New York and Tom moved to Brooklyn, where he has resided ever since. Tom has had numerous one-man shows and been featured in group shows in the United States and has been the recipient of many awards such as the John Koch Prize for Painting. He is represented internationally in both public and private collections that include the likes of Andy Warhol, Richard Diebenkorn, and David Hockney.

Selected One Man Shows

1983	Florence Jurth Gallery, Ridgefield, CT.
1986	Museo de Casa de Madrid, Barcelona, Spain Amagatotis, Barcelona, Spain
1988	Lawrence Gallery, New York
1990	Ward Lawrence gallery, New York
1996	Amagatotis, Barcelona, Spain
2000 - 2001	Jorgensen Gallery, University of CT., Storrs, CT

Selected Group Shows

1980	Atrium Gallery, Storrs, CT
1981	Ridgefield Guild of Artists, Ridgefield, CT Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, CT Arena Gallery, Storrs, CT Jorgenson Gallery, Storrs, CT
1982	Mark Twain Library Invitational, Redding, CT
1983	Fortieth Annual Exhibition of Conecticut Artists, Slater Museum, Norwich Free Academy, Norwich, CT
1984	Mark Twain Invitational
1985	"Thirty-Five and Under", Silvermine Guild Arts Center "New Talent", Silvermine Guild Arts Center Mark Twain Invitational
1986	Amagatotis, Barcelona, Spain
1988	"do" #1, Hoboken, NJ "Twelve Artists", The Tunnel, New York City "do" #3, Hoboken, NJ
1989	"Three Painters", Maxwell's Hoboken, NJ
1990	Group Exhibition, Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ
1992	National Academy of Design 167th Annual Exhibition, New YOrk City Graphic Eye Gallery, Port Washington, NY
1993	National Painting Show, Washington & Jefferson University National Exhibition, Arts Center of Nothern NJ "Small Works", Denise Bibro Gallery, New YOrk City
1994	"Introductions", Augen Gallery, Porthland, OR National Academy of Design 169th Annual Exhibition, New York City
1995	"Works on Paper", St. Johns' University, Jamaica, NY "Thomas Bennett & Harry Bennett: Paintings", Ricciardi Gallery, Astoria, OR
1996	e=3 Gallery, New York City National Exhibition, Arts Center of Northern NJ Small Works Exhibition, Chuck Levitan Gallery, New York City
1995/6	Traveling exhibition, 12 art schools throughout the United States
1997	Janet Turner Print Gallery, Chico, CA California State University, Chico, CA Denise Bibro Gallery, New York City National Exhibition, Art Center of Northern NJ
1998	National Exhibition, St. John's University, Jamaica, NY 40th Annual Exhibition, Sl, New York City National Exhibition, Art Center of Northern NJ National Print Biennial, Silvermine Arts Center, Silvermine, CT Nexus Gallery, New York City Invitational Group Show, St. John's University Studio Show, Brooklyn, NY
1999	The Art Institute and Gallery, Salisbury, MD
2000	St. John's University, Jamaica, NY
2002	Children's Hope Foundation Charity Auction, Roger Williams Hotel, NYC
2003	Silent Auction, Children's Hope Foundation, Flathotel, NYC Printmaking Keyholder Show, Lower East Side Printshop, NYC "East to West: Paintings by Tom Bennett and Harry Bennett", Riversea Gallery, Astoria, OR
2004	"Watershow" BWAC, Red Hook, Brooklyn "One Show" BWAC, Red Hook, Brooklyn "Fall Exhibition" BWAC, Red Hook, Brooklyn
2005	"25th Anniversary Show" BWAC, Red Hook, Brooklyn "Fall Exhibition" BWAC, Red Hook, Brooklyn "Three Directions" Riversea Gallery, Astoria, OR
2006	"Animutations" Tabla Rasa, Sunset Park, Brooklyn
	25th Annual National Print Exhibition, Silvermine Galleries, Silvermine, CT
	Members Show, Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Provincetown, MA
	The Big Print Show, Tabla Rasa Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2007	WAN Gallery Inaugural Show, Baltimore, MD
	American Print Exhibition, Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO
	Group Exhibition, Priory Gallery, Newark, NJ

Education

BFA, University of CT, 1982

Awards

Shandell Pokart Witryol Award, 1981
C.P. Snow Award, 1982
Medalla De Plata, Galleria de Casa de Madrid, 1986
Best in Show, ACNNJ, 1993
Painting Prize, ACNNJ, 1993
John Koch Prize, National Academy of Design, 1994
S.I. Award of Merit, 1995, 1998
C.A. Award of Merit, 1995, 1997, 1999
S.I.L.A. Award of Merit, 1998, 1999, 2000
Painting Prize, ACNNJ, 1998
Purchase Award, St. John's University, 2000

Publications

Communciation Arts, July 1995
S.I. 37th Annual, 1995
Communication Arts, July 1997
S.I. 40th Annual, 1998
S.I.L.A. Annual, 1998, 1999, 2000
"Pushing Around Images", The Chronicle, Willimantic, CT, 12/21/ 2000