statement

My paintings are realistic in their presentation of objects like glasses of water, flowers and seashells, and reflect my sensibilities as a realist. Beyond realism, however, I intend for my paintings to strike a balance between their imagery, coloring and their physicality; their presence as objects. Historically, paintings on copper were physically small but their religious imagery lent them a powerful substantive quality. I develop each painting‚s physical presence in a way that is unique to paintings on metal, and reflects the "precious" nature of metal's liturgical history in painting. Where imagery is concerned, I have carefully chosen the objects in this painting like the lilies, pitcher and seashells for their delicate nature. This delicacy is intended to be in direct contrast with the metal support and in many passages, the painterly surfaces of the paintings. These contrasts are designed to build visual tension and focus the viewer on the painting's function as an object to be looked at as well as a window to be looked through.

bio

born: 1974, Hartford, Conneticut

education

Fontbonne University, MFA Painting, 1999
Central Connecticut State University, BA Studio Art/Illustration, 1996

selected awards/honors

Frank and Marjorie Van Steel Memorial Award, Hudson Valley Art Association 80th Annual Exhibition, June 16-August 20, 2011
Allied Artists of America Gold Medal of Honor, November 28, 2004
2nd Place: Still Life, 25th Annual Artist‚s Magazine Art Competition, 2010

selected publications

INPA 1
INDA 2
INDA 1

selected solo or two-person exhibits

Bonner David Galleries, Scottsdale, AZ, Paintings on Copper, September 20,-October 16 2012
LeMieux Galleries, New Orleans, LA, The Value of Value: Still Life Paintings by Benjamin J. Shamback, November 5-26, 2011
Hidell Brooks Gallery, Charlotte, NC, Paintings: Benjamin J. Shamback, January 11-February 24, 2010