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Harry Benjamin — Silver City’s artist laureate

An area landscape by Benjamin. Photo by Bill Winkley

Visitors to the Silver City area will soon find its art scene is alive and thriving. In this part of New Mexico, many artists have been born, raised and nurtured in their art. Others, who have migrated from other parts of the nation and abroad, have helped bring diversity and enrichment to our local culture.

Art has been central to our desert and mountains since the earliest settlers created and decorated their pots and bowls and told their stories on the walls of caves and cliffs. No one could fully appreciate the richness of our lifestyle without experiencing the vibrancy of our art. For this we owe a debt of gratitude to all these artists, from the earliest Mimbreno to the artist who recently settled here. Our heritage is an artistic heritage.

Harry Benjamin holds a key role in our art heritage, one he shares with very few other artists. His knowledge, experience, commitment and, most importantly, his exquisite work attest to the contribution this man makes to our community and to those who discover our area.

"Few artists have so steeped their lives in their art. Harry paints some ten hours a day! He has taught many of our youth to find and express the artists within themselves. He was a major factor in the establishment of the Silver City Museum, having served as its first curator. He has been a board member since its inception and has served as board president for the past five years. To all of us who practice art, Harry is a role model and an inspiration!" said Jacqueline Shaw, artist and owner of the A.I.R. (Artist-in-Residence) Espresso Bar.

"Harry is probably the best artist in our area," she continued. "Nobody captures the soul of our magnificent outdoors like Harry does in his dramatic, realistic and beautiful landscapes. Many of his pieces hang in local homes, in businesses and in public buildings. Others hang across the nation and abroad. It is impossible to be a part of the art scene here, be it as an artist, a teacher, a collector, or simply an ‘appreciator’, and not be aware of the huge presence of Harry Benjamin and his work!"

Benjamin was born, raised and educated in Grant County. After completing his degree in fine arts at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, he studied at the Art Center School in Los Angeles. He has worked as an artist, teacher, curator and mentor ever since. Harry owns and operates the What’s A Pot Shop, his gallery and studio at 300 N. Arizona. He is open every day except Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. afternoons. Visitors are welcome to ramble through the fascinating and varied body of work he offers, watch him paint and chat with him about his life and art.

His commitment to being an artist began as a very young boy. "Since I was seven years of age, I knew I wanted to be an artist. At that age I would paint with my aunt, my inspiration and first instructor. I sold my first piece, a pot, at 19 years of age," he said. "I love my profession and actually get attached to my works, usually feeling lonesome for a while when someone buys a piece. Maybe that’s why I often take months to complete a painting; I hate to give them up. Mine is a labor of love. Although I will take commissions, I refuse to accept any payment until the piece is finished. I don’t want to rush and I cannot abide a client pushing me to complete a piece. Art cannot be forced. Rather it is found and allowed to express itself."

It is this profound conviction that leads him to his belief that all of us are artists. "When a person looks at my work and says, ‘I wish I could do that,’ I quite honestly tell them they can. Second graders are the best artists there are because they don’t know they are not supposed to be artists, that only a cherished few have been so ordained! Their minds are beautifully open to the mystery of art, and they produce some of the best art I have seen. The big secret is that we all still have that capacity. We simply have shut down to the opportunity and are afraid to try to rediscover it."

Benjamin especially enjoys teaching workshops for kids. "Being outside the classroom atmosphere gives kids even more freedom. When they come to these sessions they come solely to paint. Do they ever produce some fine work!"

He brings optimism, confidence and hope to those who have long wanted to "take the plunge" and find their creativity. "I’ve loved teaching classes to elderly folks. People at that time in their lives tend to become more like children in dropping their inhibitions and defenses and finding that childlike openness and spontaneity. I often see exciting work among this crowd as well," he said.

When asked what one gift he would give our community, Benjamin stated without hesitation, "An art museum! I wish our city government were in a position to support such a facility; how I would love to support such an effort – support it but not lead it," he smiled, obviously remembering the work it took to get the Silver City Museum up and running.

If we had an artist laureate, and maybe we should, few people in the community would question the wisdom and aptness in Harry Benjamin’s designation. Among the many art treasures our area can boast, he is certainly one of the finest.

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