Moments Woven at Siiviis Gallery

Ben McGaffey is a representational oil painter and draftsman whose work centers on rediscovering what feels true and worth holding onto. Beauty is to be found in our everyday lives as long as we adjust our focus. Ben has spent the past eight years studying under Jeffrey T. Larson, receiving an education in the rigorous discipline of classical art training. Yet, as with all things learned, it is not the rules but the freedoms that came from them which now compel Ben’s art practice.

“My paintings, I hope, reflect this idea: In this age of advancement, where we have mastered science and shed the need for mystery, I find it increasingly evident that we are losing touch with what makes us human. We do not live by the cold, unwavering laws of mathematics or science alone. We are driven by stories, by art, and by beauty that stirs the soul in ways that numbers can never aspire to. Too often we find ourselves ensnared by fake realities and distractions that do nothing but numb the spirit. Caught in the thrall of semantics, we have forsaken life’s very essence.”

“I believe, as surely as I believe in the power of color, that beauty is the cure – the antidote to this ailment of modernity. Beauty is not a fleeting pleasure, it’s a necessity. In my work, I offer a modest glimpse back to what we have lost, hoping that in doing so, we might once again find our way.”