Tim Benson PPROI RP NEAC

Tim Benson PPROI

Tim was elected as President of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in April 2018.

Artist’s statement

I am committed to working with charities and NGOs to tell the stories of people throughout the world who don’t have a voice.

Painted portraits speak to people in a way that the written word and photography cannot. My exhibitions engage people with important global challenges and build awareness through painting.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2018 Visions of Zambia – Mall Galleries
2016 Faces of Ebola – Mall Galleries
2013 Solo show – Highgate Contemporary
2012 Small Paintings – Island Fine Arts
2008 East Anglian Landscapes – Highgate Fine Art
2007 British Landscapes – Rafael Valls, Mayfair
2006 Aspects of the Subcontinent – Highgate Fine Art
2003 British Skyscapes – Lauderdale House

Selected Group Exhibtions

2018 Annual Exhibition – Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries
2017 Annual Exhibition- Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
  ‘My Favourite Subject’ – M1 Fine Art, Greenwich
  Annual Exhibition- New English Art Club, Mall Galleries
  Annual Exhibition- Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries
2016 ‘The ROI Paints Greenwich’ – M1 Fine Art, Greenwich
  Annual Exhibition – Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
  Annual Exhibition – Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries
2015 Annual Exhibition – Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
  Annual Exhibition – New English Art Club, Mall Galleries
  Portraiture Today – Gibberd Gallery, Harlow
  50 Children 50 Artists – The Courtyard, Hoxton
  Annual Exhibition – Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries
  Group show – CO2 Gallery
  Tim Benson and Lachlan Goudie, New Paintings – Mall Galleries
  Group Show – HayHill Gallery
2014 Annual Exhibition – Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
  Annual Exhibition – New English Art Club, Mall Galleries
  Beyond White Walls – Gallery Argentum
  Discerning Eye Exhibition – Mall Galleries
  50 Children 50 Artists – Winton Capital
  Group show – McNeill Fine Art
  Annual Exhibition – Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries
  Group show – CO2 Gallery
  Little Gems – Mall Galleries
  Portraits Today – Milton Gallery, St.Paul’s School
2013 Annual Exhibition – Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
  Annual Exhibition – New English Art Club, Mall Galleries
  Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead Heath – Highgate Contemporary
  Annual Exhibition – Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries
  Affordable Art Fair, New York – Blue Tomato Gallery
  Annual Exhibition – Royal Society of British Artists, Mall Galleries
2012 Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead Heath – Highgate Contemporary
  Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Park – Panter and Hall
  Annual Exhibition – Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
  BP Portrait Award – The National Portrait Gallery
  Annual Exhibition – Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries
  Group show – Highgate Contemporary
2011 Annual Exhibition – Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
  ‘Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Competition’, Kings Place Gallery, Kings Place, London
  Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead Heath – Highgate Contemporary Art
  Summer Exhibition – Picturecraft Gallery, Holt, Norfolk
  Summer Miscellany – Highgate Contemporary Art
  Two Artist show – Highgate Contemporary Art
  Annual Exhibition – Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries
  Breath of Fresh Air – Byard Art, Cambridge
2010 Annual Exhibition – Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
  Two Artists – Hay Hill Gallery, Cork Street
  Two Artists – Island Fine Arts, Isle of Wight
  Group Show – Highgate Contemporary Art
  Cambridge Art Fair – Enid Lawson Gallery, Marylebone
  Summer Show – Highgate Contemporary Art
  Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Park – Island Fine Arts and Enid Lawson Gallery
2009 Annual Exhibition – Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
  Three Artists: Landscapes – Island Fine Arts
  Changing Hang – Enid Lawson Gallery, Marylebone
  Affordable Art Fair, Bristol – Enid Lawson Gallery
  Cambridge Art Fair – Enid Lawson Gallery
  Summer Show – Highgate Fine Art
  Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Park – Enid Lawson Gallery and Island Fine Arts
  Harrogate Art Fair – Enid Lawson Gallery
  Edinburgh Art Fair – Enid Lawson Gallery
2008 Annual Exhibition – Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
  Antiques for the Future –Norman Adams, Knightsbridge
  British Antique Dealers’ Association fair, Chelsea
  Summer show – Highgate Fine Art
  Summer show – Island Fine Arts, Isle of Wight
  Summer landscapes – Thompson’s, Aldeburgh
  Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Park – Island Fine Arts
  Noel Noel – Highgate Fine Art Gallery
2007 Annual Exhibition – Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries
  Annual Exhibition – Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
  Cultural Expo – Pakistan High Commission, London
  Summer show – Highgate Fine Art
  Charity Exhibition – The Canterbury Oast Trust
  Noel Noel – Highgate Fine Art
2006 Annual Exhibition – Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries
  Noel Noel – Highgate Fine Art
2005 Noel Noel – Highgate Fine Art
2004 Annual Exhibition – Thompson’s City
  New Landscapes – Thompson’s City
  Noel Noel – Highgate Fine Art
2003 Annual Exhibition – Thompson’s City
  Three New Artists – CCA Galleries, Mayfair
  Changing Hang – Thompson’s City
  Commission – Le Meridien Hotel, London
  Group Exhibition – Karen Taylor Gallery, Twickenham
  September Show – Thompson’s Marylebone
  Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Park – Thompson’s
  Christmas Show – Catto Gallery, Hampstead
2002 Past Masters – Stroud House Gallery, Gloucestershire
  Fresh Art – Business Design Centre, Islington
  Group Exhibition – Fairfax Gallery, Tunbridge-Wells
  Group Exhibition – Moreton Contemporary, Pimlico
2001 Braving the Elements – Vertigo Gallery, Hoxton

Awards

2017 The Darlington Crystal Chalice for outstanding service and contribution to the Royal Institute of Oil Painters
2016 ‘Alan Gourley Memorial Award’ for the outstanding work in show – Annual Exhibition, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
2013 Elected Vice President of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters
  Awarded the ‘Arts Club Charitable Trust Award’, Annual Exhibition, Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries
2011 Elected Full member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters
  Elected Associate of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters
2010 Second prize – Winsor & Newton Young Artist Award, Annual Exhibition, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries
2004 Third prize, Winsor & Newton Young Artist Award, Annual Exhibition, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries

Media & Press

2018 MARCH – ‘5 things I’ve learnt’ – Artists and Illustrators magazine
  MARCH – Guest – BBC London Radio ‘The Robert Elms show’
  FEBRUARY – ‘At First Sight’ – The Big Issue
2016 NOVEMBER – Interview for ‘Faces of Ebola’ – London Live
  NOVEMBER – Interview for ‘Faces of Ebola’ – Studio International
  NOVEMBER – ‘One year after Sierra Leone was declared Ebola-free, award-winning artist Tim Benson presents Faces of Ebola‘ – The Independent
  FEBRUARY – Interview about portrait commissions – BBC Local Radio
2014 NOVEMBER – Guest Columnist – Artists and Illustrators magazine
2013 OCTOBER – Guest Columnist – The Artist magazine
2012 NOVEMBER – Guest Columnist – Artists and Illustrators magazine
2011 OCTOBER – Guest Columnist – The Artist magazine
  JULY – DVD: Dynamic portraits in Oil with Tim Benson – TownHouse Films

Teaching and positions of responsibility

2017 Judge, Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Biennial Portraiture Competition
2016 – Exhibitions Committee, Mall Galleries
2015-2017 Director, Diploma in Portraiture, Heatherley School of Fine Art, Chelsea
2014-2015 Co-Director, Diploma in Portraiture, Heatherley School of Fine Art, Chelsea
2014 – Portraiture tutor, The New School of Art, Lewes
2013 – Portraiture tutor, The Art Academy, Southwark
2010 – Portraiture tutor, Hampstead School of Art Private tutor, Oil Painting
2007 – Portraiture tutor, Heatherley School of Fine Art, Chelsea

 

Examples of work