Whilst Paul Bennett graduated with an honours degree in fine art, painting took a back seat for a while, as he fell into a career in graphic design and worked mainly in the finance sector in the City of London.

After working in the illustrious financial district for some years, Paul returned to his home county of Buckinghamshire and rediscovered his love of painting. He embarked on a period of experimentation, endeavouring to capture the sense and true essence of a place. Paul became transfixed with conveying the drama and intensity of seascapes and landscapes, with light and shadow becoming crucial elements in the development of his visionary abstract paintings.

Paul’s work is dramatic, atmospheric and totally captivating. The lines of reality and illusion are blurred and ambiguous, and there is an uncertainty as to where the sky ends, and the sea or landscape begins. Paul strives to generate a sense of intimacy and isolation, whilst leaving the subject open to interpretation. The seascape and landscapes paintings are created from memory, rather than referring to photography, resulting in more abstracted and expressive pieces rather than realistic representation.

Paul’s main aim is to create work that is most definitely painted and accomplishes this through rich textures, multiple layers and mark-making. Whilst there is passion and intensity to the work, it has a therapeutic overtone, and the ethereal quality of the compositions offer a sense of serenity and calmness the viewer.