Local portrait, mural and sketch artist Benjamin M. Betsalel is someone you probably know without even realizing it. He recently collaborated with Terpricorps Theatre of Dance, providing live abstract paintings which were projected onto a screen behind the dancers as they performed The Many Deaths of Edward Gorey and other works on the Diana Wortham stage.
Betsalel is also the talent behind the murals gracing Gourmet Perks (165 Merrimon Ave., Asheville) and Fashionista’s (68 College St., Asheville, not to mention nearly a dozen solo art shows. His paintings are immediately recognizable for their bold, emotive strokes, thick layers of paint and rich, earthy colors.
Betsalel (who recently relocated his studio to the Wedge Gallery in the River Arts District) exhibits his newest works at BoBo Gallery (22 Lexington Ave., Asheville, 254-3426). The opening reception for Betsalel’s show, The Weather or Not, is Saturday, Aug 4 at 7 p.m. The exhibit runs through August.
—Alli Marshall, A&E reporter
Betsalel’s career seems to survive on social networking alone, as his paintings display little or no awareness of composition or technique. If I remember correctly, his murals have alreadytbeen mercifully removed from the facade of Gourmet Perks, and I can only hope more of his “work” will follow…
Otherwise, he seems like a very affable guy.
Is the mural referred to at Fashionista’s the Egyptian/Mucha-looking one? I’ve loved that for years. Although I will admit the Gourmet Perks mural wasn’t my thing.
Where has his dozen or so art shows been hair salons? coffehouses? second hand stores? Hes a really nice guy,but his work is suspect, portraying him as a serious artist is like saying a 5year old child who has built a rocketship out of a cardboard box in the backyard is an astronaut. There are dozens of artists in the Asheville area who are doing much more interesting and relevant projects right now.
When Gourmet Perks changed hands, the previous owners took their mural with them, since they own it AND love it. And I don’t think it’s very cool for people to be knocking an artist for trying and succeeding at making a living doing what they love…that in itself is childish, Mr. Jones.
It’s pretty elitist of you to judge someone’s artwork by where they show, Mr. Jones, don’t you think? So to be a ‘serious’ artist you have to show at all the hoity-toity galleries who’s waiting lists are years long…yeah no thanks. I pay MORE attention to the shows that are placed in shops, coffee houses, etc than to gallery shows…they are accessible and generally the pieces are more affordable since the host isn’t taking out 40%. Just my taste I suppose. Is accessible art not still art? You don’t have to like the artwork, but at least judge it on its own merits.
(I am also an artist who has shown at the Joli Rouge and Izzy’s Coffee Den, so I’m obviously biased.)