Ben Benedict: Variations in Landscape – Exhibition & Book Launch

Ben Benedict, In The Garden, 2020, acrylic on paper and board, 35w x 29h x 7d inches

Homer Watson House & Gallery and London fine artist Ben Benedict present Variations in Landscape: An Exhibition and Book Launch

May 26 – July 12, 2026
Opening Reception & Book Launch: Thursday, May 28, 2026, 6 – 8pm
Homer Watson House & Gallery, Kitchener

Art Catalogue
Variations in Landscape, 2025. Published by Ben Benedict & Benedict Creative Communications. London, ON. ISBN 978-1-0697976-0-5

Homer Watson House & Gallery and London fine artist Ben Benedict present a critical exploration of the landscape genre. Benedict draws upon the history of art-making in Southwestern Ontario as a bricoleur (mixed media artist) working in the London Regionalist tradition. Artworks range from small, intimate scenes to large masterworks. The exhibit is accompanied by a book launch featuring a critical essay, in which Benedict draws a historical line from Homer Watson (1855–1936), through the Group of Seven, to the London Regionalists, and finally inserts his efforts into this lineage of original Ontario artists.

The book is a 164-page, limited edition of 500: an art catalogue of the original July 2024 exhibit at the Satellite Project Space in London, Ontario. It features acknowledgements; a land acknowledgement; an introduction by Dr. Madeline Lennon, Professor Emerita, Visual Arts Department, Western University; and a critical essay by London fine artist Ben Benedict—Variations in Landscape: An Artist’s Journey. It also includes 19 copyrighted images from earlier regionalists, 47 original exhibition artworks, a curriculum vitae, and a bibliography, along with an original work of art reflective of Benedict’s 30+ year career as a professional writer and visual artist.

Ben Benedict, Natures Garden, 2024, Acrylic and mixed metals on wood, 14w x 19h x 3d inches

“My artistry is constructed from a wide range of materials,” says Benedict, “and draws upon my experiences and memory, as well as the vast history of art-making. My focus is on the process of exploring, and in this case, those efforts are focused on landscape, following in the footsteps of other regionalist artists.”

From the book: “My goal is that [the artworks] can be experienced ‘conceptually, kinetically, and visually’ in ‘dynamic modernist languages’ and that they appear ‘authentically ecological.’ That these images are more than ‘just a place on the map.’ They are authentically produced as a result of ‘self-reflection and critique’ from ‘personal and local experiences‘ for the most part, and are a ‘phenomenon’ and ‘interesting objects‘ in themselves. Within this journey there is growth also, as a person, an artist, and in the dialogue moving from images of the land to engaging critically with landscape’s ideological and semiotic construction.” (page 30)

In 2026, Ben Benedict is releasing Variations in Landscape (Art Catalogue, ISBN 978-1-0697976-0-5) as part of a touring exhibition at the Homer Watson House & Gallery, Kitchener (May 27 – July 12); King Heritage & Cultural Centre, King City (July 14 – 26); and the TAP Centre for Creativity, London, (September 1 – 12, 2026).

Ben Benedict, Door Kicked In, 2022, Acrylic on collaged paper, 22w x 29h inches

About the Artist

Ben Benedict is a recognized independent professional visual artist, curator, writer, cultural leader, and social justice activist in the London area, with a growing career. As a bricoleur (mixed-media artist) working in the London Regionalist tradition, his artistry, experiences, and creativity are informed by memory, object relations theories, semiotics, and structural linguistics, including the use of deconstructed materials and narratives.

In 2020, he received Research & Creation Grant funding from the Canada Council for the Arts for his solo exhibition, Faggot & Other LGBTQ2+ Stories, and was awarded the Canada Pride Citation from the Chief of Defence, National Defence Canada for his sacrifice and service to Canada, making him a decorated veteran. Reflective of these efforts, Benedict was the keynote speaker at Forest City Gallery’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2023. He has also received London Arts Council and Exhibition Assistance grants from the Ontario Arts Council. Visit BenBenedict.ca for details and additional images.

Quotes

“I admire how hard you work to get all your images licensed and of top quality”
– Marcia Lea, Executive Director, COVA-DAAV (Copyright Visual Arts)

“I finally had the time to read your wonderful essay. It’s so comprehensive and illuminates the Regionalists in the context of landscape so well. It’s full of tidbits I didn’t know and it was a pleasure to learn from you through this paper!”
– Esther Vincent, daughter and copyright holder for Bernice Vincent

For more information and media inquiries contact:
Ben Benedict, BFA, M. Comm. (Artist)
Benedict Creative Communications
519-432-5089
info@bcreative.ca
BenBenedict.ca

Ben Benedict, Rapids, 2024, acrylic on canvas, 28w x 36h inches

Full Exhibition and Book Launch Details:

Homer Watson House & Gallery, Kitchener, ON
May 26 – July 12, 2026
Opening Reception: May 28, 6 – 8pm
Artist on site ‘en plein air’: Sundays, May 31 – July 12, 2026, 1 – 3pm

King Heritage & Cultural Centre, King City, ON
July 14 – 27, 2026
Opening Reception: July 18, 2026, 1pm – 4pm
Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10am – 4pm

Tap Centre for Creativity, London, ON
September 1 – 12, 2026
Opening Reception: September 3, 2026, 6 – 9pm
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 12 – 5pm

Image Descriptions:
1. Standing in front of this work places the viewer literally ‘in the garden’ with the proximity of the flowers, but equally with the overhang, each taking their turn to envelope the viewer within the image.
2. Nature’s Garden is a mixed media artwork with acrylic on wood and metal. It explores both the micro- and a macro- views of a meadow, with the physicality of the surface, split to accentuate this dichotomy.
3. A bright coloured artwork of domestic bliss featuring a yellow house with a red door, surrounded by trees and grass. However, reflective of our economy and current social strife there is an undertone of difference, that not everything is alright complimented by the title—Door Kicked In. Painted using Pride Colours (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) further reflects this subtext of socio-economic violence we are currently experiencing.
4. A stylized and imagined artwork born out of a carpet pattern from Summerside, P.E.I. of a stream with rapids, dirt banks, and vegetation in front of a background of reeds.