Ben Spurling
Ben
was born in Swanage in 1979 and still resides in the Purbeck area today,
living in East Lulworth.
Living by the sea has always been an important part of Ben's life and
this is reflected in his paintings. He is best known for his calm and
uplifting interpretations of stunning coastal scenes and familiar countryside
characters.
Ben completed a foundation course at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth before heading off to Swansea where he gained a BA Honours in Illustration. Inspired by days spent on the Gower Peninsula, Ben developed his enthusiasm for seascapes and plein air painting. Ben returned to Swanage in 2002 to work as a graphic designer, continuing to paint in his spare time.
Ben is happiest when he combines his two favourite pastimes: walking the Purbeck coast and countryside and painting from his portable pochade paint box. This allows him to work from life in oils, his preferred medium, capturing the tones and colours from a direct study in situ. These sketches of a subject or moment are invaluable for studio work or stand-alone final pieces.
Ben feels most connected to the subject when he is able to paint from life, outdoors. Visit Ben's Website
