Like so much in his studio, Ben Solowey made his easel, by hand. It stood center-stage for still lifes, portraits, and interiors, but at night he sometimes wheeled it in a cool corner and hung it with a damp towel so that the oil paint on his canvas would stay supple and wet. This “wet on wet” technique produced a rich smooth surface on many works that convey an air of tranquility that Ben and Rae’s found here on their farm.
His model stand (a five drawer flat file) and his palette table (an upended antique tea chest) are also on wheels, so he could move them wherever he needed them. From photographs, paintings, and drawings, we know that the configuration of the studio was always in flux when Ben was working, and some of that continues today. I think one of the reasons the studio still feels very much “alive” is not because we left everything in place, but rather because we frequently move items around, just as Ben did.
If you look closely at his more than seven-foot tall easel where he stored his brushes, you’ll see sketches of birds. “Drawing was to breathing for Ben,” Rae often said, and the movement of blackbirds and pheasants were regular subjects of a spontaneous sketch, particularly in his later years.
On the easel at the moment is a lovely pastel drawing, titled simply Flowers – Silver and Gold. This still life of spring blossoms including tulips, dogwood, and snowball hydrangea was culled from the property. Because these plants are all still here, we know he drew this in approximately May. That is one of the wonders of this place, to see the source material for Ben’s still lifes come to life. It provides a direct connection to the work for any visitor.
The drawing is housed in one of Ben’s handmade, gold-leafed frames. A simple delicate work that sets off the drawing quite nicely. While not technically part of AN INTIMATE VIEW: Small Paintings & Drawings by Ben Solowey (the main studio is given over to works of all sizes), it still worth the trip as it is a work on consignment, and we cannot guarantee that it will be here on a future visit.
