Ben lives and works in a small fishing village on the North Devon coast. The landscape there is incredibly powerful - huge skies, shifting light, and the constant presence of the sea. That elemental drama is a big part of his work. His work is centred in expressing the emotional impact of being in these places - the feeling of a particular light or moment. He knows this coast and grew up with it as a surfer and fisherman so it is part of his story.
Ben Lucas is an artist whose profound connection to the ocean serves as the foundation for his evocative paintings. His work transcends mere representation, instead capturing the emotional essence of seascapes through a distillation of memory and experience. Rather than depicting specific locations, Ben's art evokes feelings that reflect the vastness of human experience, with ocean and sky serving as powerful metaphors for both inner turbulence and moments of serene clarity.
Ben Lucas: Artistic Process and Vision
Ben approaches his creative process through intuitive responses to landscapes, alternating between controlled, deliberate techniques and spontaneous expression. His paintings are exercises in distillation, reducing scenes to their essential elements while allowing the paint to communicate with immediacy and energy. This approach creates space for viewers to develop their own interpretations and emotional connections to the work, inviting personal engagement with each piece.
Exhibitions and Recognition
Throughout his career, Ben has showcased his work in numerous solo exhibitions including "Chasing the Wind" (2024) at Brownston Gallery and "Under the Same Sky" (2022) at Sydney Road Gallery. His artistic journey also includes participation in group exhibitions such as "Autumn Exhibition" at LimeTree Gallery and "Sea Change" at The Gallery. Ben's talent has been recognized with several awards, including the People's Choice Award at Caloundra Regional Gallery and the Contemporary Painting prize at the Alan Reading Memorial Art Prize.
Artistic Heritage and Global Reach
Ben comes from a distinguished creative lineage as the grandson of Mary Norton, author of "The Borrowers," and Colin Lucas, a pioneering modernist architect who received an OBE for his work. His siblings include portrait painter Fanny Rush and sculptor Joe Rush. Today, Ben's paintings are held in private collections and financial institutions across the globe, spanning Canada, the United States, Germany, the UK, Hong Kong, Australia, Sweden, and New Zealand, with representation by galleries throughout the UK and Australia, including Graystone Gallery and Sydney Road Gallery.