Splitting her time between Hawaii and California, Carol Bennett (b. 1954) has mastered the art of capturing movement in her enigmatic paintings.
While Bennett has garnered praise for the meditative sensibility that characterizes her paintings as well as a bold use of bright colors, some of her works are more famous than others. In fact, her “Women in Water” series is perhaps her most well-known collection. As its name implies, the series features women swimming. They’re captured from an underwater perspective, and their faces are either out of frame entirely or obscured by the sun-dappled surface of the water, which serves as a showcase for Bennett’s portrayal of the qualities of sunlight. The upper half of each painting is flecked with the blues and greens of the ocean as well as whatever color the subject’s bathing suit happens to be.
The series originated with Bennett sketching swimmers at an athletic club’s pool in Los Angeles, but as her process evolved, her husband, Wayne Zebzda, began to film the artist on her daily swim on Kauai. The resultant images inform her work, but she doesn’t consider these works to be depictions of her in particular.
“I swim seven days a week, and while I don’t consider them self-portraits, I am the swimmer in the paintings,” Bennett has said.
Given her constant proximity to the ocean, it’s no surprise that Bennett is inspired by water’s glassy properties, citing its presence as both “a mirror and then a window.” Her radiant paintings, whether she’s working with oil and shellac on paper or wood panels, allow her to explore sunlight in such a rich and provocative way that it’s as if she endeavors to suspend rays of light above the water’s surface, making them seem as tangible and physical as the swimmers themselves.
Aside from her works that hang on the walls of galleries and museums around the world, Bennett has also painted murals and even a 48-foot photovoltaic solar canopy for the Hawaii State Art Museum Sculpture Garden.
Find Carol Bennett’s paintings on 1stDibs.
"Heleconia" Abstract Painting, Mixed Media on Glass, 21st Century
By Carol Bennett
Located in Edgartown, MA
"I throw myself into the water almost every day- it grounds me, the body floats and the mind drifts. The "Swimmer series" has followed me over the years, resurfacing and evolving. Pr...
Glass, Mixed Media
"Flame Angel" Abstract mixed media reverse triptych painting behind glass
By Carol Bennett
Located in Edgartown, MA
"I throw myself into the water almost every day- it grounds me, the body floats and the mind drifts. The "Swimmer series" has followed me over the years, resurfacing and evolving. Presently I'm working on wood, I'm intrigued by wood grain swirling like water and how that ground moves through the swimmer's form”. Carol graduated from the Art Center College of Design in painting. For some 20 years she split her time between her loft in downtown LA and a beach bungalow in Hawaii- satisfying a passion for culture and the ocean's pull. In LA she painted backdrops...
Gold Leaf
"Blue Wave" Abstract blue and green painting of microscopic life w/ resin finish
By Anne Harney
Located in Edgartown, MA
“Spending a lifetime of summers on Martha's Vineyard my work has evolved into natural forms of coastal scenes. My connection to the island developed a deep concern with natural forms...
Mixed Media
"Entropy 39" Abstract mixed media painting in red, white and light green
By Jylian Gustlin
Located in Edgartown, MA
Abstract mixed media painting in red, white and light green. Jylian Gustlin is a native Californian and grew up in the San Francisco bay area. She has been shaped by the technology...
Oil Pastel, Wax, Oil, Acrylic, Graphite
"Harrison 2" geometric abstract of white, grey, green and red
By Chase Langford
Located in Edgartown, MA
Chase Langford has created a distinctive visual language that is grounded in the natural and built environment while embarking into uncharted territory. His impactful depictions reca...
Canvas, Oil
"Amalfi 4" abstract oil painting in shades of blue, green, red and white
By Chase Langford
Located in Edgartown, MA
Chase Langford has invented a distinctive visual language that is grounded in the natural and built environment while embarking into uncharted territory. His impactful depictions recall maps and aerial photography of sea coasts, mountains, farmland and cities through a calculated execution and highly refined draftsmanship. Just as the West Coast Abstract Expressionists (1940 to 1970) found California’s striking landscape fertile ground, so does Langford as he draws upon his geographic environs both near and far. Through his cartographic mastery, Langford contorts and synthesizes geographic elements, bringing forth paintings that are mysteriously familiar yet surprisingly unconventional. They challenge conventions of geography and landscapes, offering invigorating visions of space and place that transcend any specific locale, leading us to an exhilarating emotional experience. Bio Chase Langford born in Pontiac, Michigan, is a Los Angeles-based artist well known for his geographically inspired paintings. He studied cartography earning a BA from UC Santa Barbara in Geography then worked as a cartographer at UCLA. Starting with his Map Paintings he literally reinterpreted geography by taking selected features from maps and filled in the reconfigured shapes in a flurry of color and movement creating a fresh take on familiar geographic forms. This followed with series that moved even deeper into pure abstraction with his Coldwater, Mulholland, and Scrape series which all lead to his Morphic series, now the core focus of his painting today. His paintings have been widely shown at one-person and group exhibitions in Los Angeles, New York City, Washington DC, Montreal, Palo Alto, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Napa Valley, Seattle, and Palm Springs and included many corporate/public collections (often site specific commissions) such as Long Beach Musuem of Art, Keck School of Medicine at USC, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Star City...
Canvas, Oil
Go Big or Stay Home, Abstract Expressionist Painting, Acrylic, Resin on Canvas
Located in Atlanta, GA
You could say Lea Ellermeier is a painter, and you would be right. But it’s not the whole truth. It’s hard to put a label on Lea. She is an entrepreneur, CEO, author, and a painter. ...
Canvas, Resin, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Reclaimed 3, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Hilary Winfield
Located in Yardley, PA
Reclaimed 3 is an original, modern art painting from the Modern Industrial series. This one-of-a-kind painting was created with acrylic paint on gallery-wrapped canvas. It has a widt...
Acrylic
Flow 1 by Anja Becker - Abstract contemporary painting with Resin on wood
By Anja Becker
Located in DE
Anja Becker is a German artist living and working from Hamburg. She paints vibrant paintings using resin. Poured layer by layer her paintings have a distinctive high gloss finish and...
Epoxy Resin, Wood
Deeper and Deeper: Abstract Expressionist Painting, Acrylic and Resin on Canvas
Located in Atlanta, GA
You could say Lea Ellermeier is a painter, and you would be right. But it’s not the whole truth. It’s hard to put a label on Lea. She is an entrepreneur, CEO, author, and a painter. ...
Canvas, Resin, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Fils I Colors DCXXVII - Colorful Mixed Media Abstract Vibrant Artwork on Canvas
By Raul de la Torre
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Barcelona artist Raul de la Torre's vibrant abstract mixed media artworks pay homage to the material. De La Torre allows the materials to take over during the process and collaborates with the unexpected to create works that speak to the natures of dynamism and unity. Experimentation with different materials, textures, and techniques in each of his paintings has been a point of discovery and a major part of Raul de la Torre’s work. In his Fils I Colors series he attempts to find the third dimension through the use of different materials. The interaction between the artist, gravity, and the paint is important for the final result. A tilting technique permits the paint to be a major architect of the final result, giving it a life of its own. It results in infinite and timeless color combinations. In many cases, the different layers of color each represent a temporary state of mind, time, and even feelings, places, and people. Some of them are embroidered forever in our memory turning to form part of our DNA. To represent the firmness and strength of that past the cotton is mixed with the paint in the works to form a unity. This colorful 30 inch high by 48 inch wide original artwork on canvas is wired and ready to hang. Embroidery provides another layer as it creates thick shadows with organic shapes. De la Torre makes horizontal cuts on the canvas or paper and covers these open areas using color-matching cotton thread. When combined with light, these shapes create a more dynamic surface and offer different views of the work to various observers. The sides of this artwork are painted white and it does not require framing. It is signed and dated by the artist in the lower right corner as well as on the back. Free local Los Angeles area delivery. Affordable Continental U.S. and worldwide shipping are available. A certificate of authenticity issued by the art gallery is included. Raul de la Torre was born in Barcelona in 1964 and attended Massana Art School. About the Fils series, de la Torre remarks: “FILS I COLORS is an attempt to find life, movement, and parts that are not static, that change in their interaction with the observer. The different combinations of colors represent different emotions and interpretations for each individual interacting with the works.” Raul de la Torre's artworks can be found in the collections of The Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, the Tropicana Hotel and Casino Las Vegas, the Rothschild Family Collection, and varying Hilton properties. His works have been exhibited and collected worldwide, including in New York, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles. Artspace Warehouse has been representing and exhibiting Raul de la Torre's original artworks since 2010. The gallery has been a 1stdibs partner since 2014 with consistently excellent reviews from clients worldwide. The gallery exhibits a large selection of affordable original artworks from established and emerging international artists with diverse backgrounds at high standards. Artspace Warehouse is known to provide accurate descriptions, images, reliable services, communication, and delivery. REPRESENTATION Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2023 "Credible Thread", Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA 2022 "Clarifying Color", Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA 2021 825 Gallery, West Hollywood, CA 2021 Pamela Walsh Gallery...
Canvas, Thread, Mixed Media, Acrylic
"Brian O'Neill's 'Summer 1' Original Acrylic Painting with Resin"
Located in Denver, CO
Brian O'Neill's "Summer 1" is a captivating original artwork created in 2024. This piece measures 48 x 12 x 1.50 inches (121.92 x 30.48 x 3.81 cm) and features a sophisticated blend ...
Resin, Acrylic, Panel
