Benjamin B. Purvis

Web site: www.benjaminpurvis.com

Benjamin Brantley Purvis grew up in the small town of Franklin just south of Nashville, Tennessee.  There he grew to appreciate art from watching his sister Heather A. Hall win multiple art shows in the community, and later becoming an art teacher in Owensboro, Kentucky.  His father, who was a working architect at the time, served as another influence by his landscape and wildlife watercolor art.  Ben grew up and ranked first and best of show in all the same art shows his sister had many years ago, which helped make his decision to make a career out of his abilities.  He graduated high school successfully completing all AP Honor Art classes with top grades, and decided to go to the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida.  He was humbled when he arrived, for he was immersed in a school with students that were some of the best emerging artists in the world.  Being around such talent caused many students to fold under pressure, but it gave Ben the motivation he needed to become one of the best in his graduating class.  After four years of hard work and determination, Ben finished his courses and received his BFA in Illustration.  For his senior thesis, he wrote a book of poetry accompanied by his own illustrations which received much praise from his fellow students, faculty, and the surrounding community who attended the senior art show. 

Soon after, Ben found out that his father, who was now retired, had fallen ill with cancer.  His father was staying and helping Ben's 90 and 91-year-old grandparents in Southlake. Ben moved out to Southlake to be with them and do what he could to help.  This also gave Ben and his father time to spend doing artwork together and to have a father/son art show; a lifelong dream shared by the two.  Having their father/son art show this past August made it their dream come true, plus a miracle. With chemotherapy and many hopes and prayers, his father has overcome his cancer.  This being the case, Ben gained a boost of hope for success in his personal dream of making a living out of his lifelong love - the creation of visual aesthetics from the use of his mind and hands to form a thing we like to call art.  Ben still resides in Southlake working on personal art for the upcoming art shows and client commissions.