Tim Benson FROI RP NEAC
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Tim Benson FROI
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 |
